Inside of You
by Finn21
Summary: Picks up after the night that Nathan goes to Haley's house from the hospital. Where will their relationship go from here? How will their lives change? NH & PLB Complete!
1. The Morning After

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own any of these wonderful characters, as much as I'd like too, they're simply not mine.

Authors' Note: Ok everyone, this story leaves off after the night Nathan collapses at the basketball game, and is taken to the hospital, where he promptly leaves and goes to stay the night with Haley. This will primarily be a N/H story, with a little of the Lucas, Peyton, and Brooke, storyline thrown in, as well as some other characters. Hope you enjoy!

**Inside of You**

Chapter 1

The Morning After

The bright early morning sun shone through the open drapes, showering a line of light upon Haley James' closed eyes. She slowly blinked them open and shut in an attempt to edge herself out of the warm cocoon of sleep that enveloped her. When she tried to roll over on her side, she found a warm body blocking her way.

Haley arched her head up to see the silent form of Nathan Scott curled closely around her. And for a moment all she could do was stare at him. _He's so beautiful,_ she thought, as she watched his body expand and retract from his even breathes, the soft flutter of his thick eyelashes as they flickered up and down, and the way his dark hair fell flat against his head from sleeping.

Haley wondered how everything had come so far so fast. It seemed only a short time ago her and Nathan had been in entirely different worlds living completely separate lives. But none of that mattered when they were together, in this minute nothing mattered except the two of them.

Almost as if she was a moth drawn to a flame, Haley unconsciously brought her hand up, and ever so lightly caressed the side of Nathan's jaw line, feeling the smooth skin underneath her fingers twitch from her touch. When she saw Nathan's eyelids bob up and down, she ran her hand gently across his cheek a few more times until he woke up.

As there eyes finally met Haley couldn't help but smile at him.

"Hey," she spoke to him quietly.

"Hi," he whispered back, brining a hand up to rub his eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

Nathan yawned, stretching out his body tensely before falling back into his previously relaxed state. "Good............better," he replied, smiling back at her.

"Well that's good to know," she began, feeling all of a sudden nervous under his intense eyes, "because I wouldn't like to think that you slept uncomfortably....I mean I know I can snore sometimes, it can be pretty bad. Not that I snore all the time, just....you know when I'm sick or something. Not that I'm sick now, I'm just saying I don't snore all the time. Only–."

"Haley," Nathan called, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"Yeah ," she answered, pausing to look at him finally and noticing his wide-eyed expression. "I'm babbling aren't I, or is that I do snore and you don't want to tell me?"

Nathan puffed out a laugh, rolling his eyes in amusement. "Yes you are babbling, and no you don't snore...at least not that I know of," he gave a her teasing smirk.

"Good, great, really great, in fact now I can go tell Lucas that he's a big fat liar all those times he said I snored when we were younger," she finished quickly.

Nathan's smile faded at her last comment, and was then replaced with a look of mixed jealousy and curiosity. "You guys used to sleep together as kids?"

"Well kind of, but not really, we had this place in the woods we'd go camping at in the summer, I always had bad allergies, and runny noses so Lucas always teased me about snoring. Actually there was this funny story one time," Haley began with a chuckle, noticing Nathan's complete lack on interest as he propped himself up on the pillow with his elbow. "But I'm guessing he's not what you want to talk about right now."

"Not really," he answered, looking down at her again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bombard you with old nostalgia, its just sometimes when I get...nervous, I tend to ramble on, it's just one of many bad habits I have, " she said, looking anywhere but at him.

"I make you nervous, " Nathan smiled, a new sparkle glittering in his eyes as he leaned closer to her. 

"Pfftt......_Noooooo_," Haley lied,  rolling her eyes to emphasize her point to him, "the situation makes me nervous. I mean here we are: you, me, in my bed alone, talking about my snoring. Not really a recipe for confidence."

"We actually you were the one talking about it, I was the one lying here thinking about how much I'd really like to kiss you," he retorted moving a few inches from her face, his eyelids falling low as he stared at her mouth.

"Oh," she looked at him expectantly, yet hesitantly as she began biting her lower lip.

Nathan gave her a reassuring smile before he brushed his lips against hers slowly, feeling her soft skin against his own. He then deepened the kiss, feeling Haley's hand come up and graze the side of his face before entangling its way into his hair. He leaned into her more, their bodies entwining together, as the moment became stronger, all of their emotions becoming elevated.

And it then it became too much, and Nathan couldn't handle it any longer.

He moved back, breaking contact and taking deep breaths of needed air as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Wow," Haley breathed, her eyes filled with desire, at seeing this new side of him.

"Thanks," Nathan replied with a cocky grin, "I do what I can."

She tenderly smacked him on the arm, and shook her head, before pulling the covers over her body. Suddenly feeling very vulnerable from their kiss. Nathan mimicked her actions and returned to his side of the bed plopping his head back down on the feather pillow behind him.

"Thank you," he repeated after a few minutes of silence. He looked over and saw his companions raised eyebrows and continued. "No, really I mean it, thanks for letting me stay last night, thanks for being my friend, for all of it."

Haley could swear she felt her heart jump at his declaration to her. "You're welcome," she answered warmly.

Feeling awkward about what to do next, Nathan ran a hand through his hair leisurely, bringing it down his face with a yawn. Haley watched him, looking at the clock on the wall closest to him. 

"Don't you think you should call your parents Nathan," she asked him, mindful of his mother's worry.

"Why," he snapped at her, turning his eyes to the ceiling.

"Because, I bet their both worried to death, did you even tell them where you were going last night," she snapped back.

"No I didn't tell them where I was going, and no their not worried. You don't know my parents, the only thing they care about is what social-slash-sport-event they can attend next, and that's about it."

Haley sighed, and squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. "That's not true Nathan, I know your mother loves you, she talks about you all the time. Your father loves you too, he's just–."

"Can we not do this right now, I'm really tired and I'd just like to sleep a few more hours before I have to go back to the insanity of life, " he said, looking at her when he finished talking. 

"I'm just worried Nathan, I don't wa–," Haley began, but was cut off again.

"Haley please....can we just sleep, I'm so tired. I just want to sleep. Can we just sleep, "he whispered, curling his body into hers until they were meshed together, sheltered from the outside world for as long as the moment would last.

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Want it to stop? Let me know, I love feedback, and the more you tell me what you want, the more I give back. 


	2. As Usual

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.

A/N: Thank you to everyone for the fabulous reviews, it makes a very happy girl. As always feedback is welcome!! Hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Inside of You

Chapter 2

As Usual

It was practically night outside, when Nathan walked into the front door of his home, later that day. Pleasant thoughts of his time with Haley flowing through his mind, as he stepped into the foyer. He felt like if he completely ignored the raging headache in his mind from the previous nights' game, he could almost forget all the bullshit he'd had to deal with the past week. But that thought abruptly came to a halt when he saw the angry and militant face of his mother staring back at him from the end of the hallway.

He figured it would be best to go for the laid back approach, and said, "Hi mom," as he deliberately turned to go up the stairs.

"Where have you been," Deb asked him, her face completely still, all but for the small twitch at the edge of  her jaw.

"Oh you know, around," he answered, turning back towards the stairs.

"And where would that be," she came up to the bottom stair.

"With friends."

"Who specifically," she began tapping her foot on the floor, methodically.

" No one, why does it  matter," he questioned, beginning to feel defensive. Who was she to suddenly ask him who he spent time with?

"Because I care about you Nathan, and last night you scared me like I've never been scared before. You are the most important person in my life, and I need to know where you go, and what you do," she pleaded to him, her demeanor softening as she rubbed his hand comfortingly, in the special way only mothers could.

"I went to Haley's," he confessed solemnly with a shrug of his shoulders.

Deb paused a moment, "Were you careful Nathan....she's such a nice girl, you have to be careful with her"

Somewhat put off that his mother thought so little of his past girlfriends, and even more insulted that she thought so little of him, he shrugged away from, taking a few steps away from in defiance. "Mom I know, and not that it's any of your business but nothing happened ok, she just let me spend the night. I needed to get way for awhile, from all the guys, from Dad, from you."

"I understand, I do, " she tried to reassure him," just promise me from now on you'll tell me when you decide to disappear again. My heart can't take this Nathan, I love you too much. Please promise me that," her resolve glaring back at him

"I promise, I promise," he sighed, noticing for the first time how quiet the house became when they stopped talking. "So where's Dad anyway, I thought he'd be halfway down my throat by now for skipping out on Friday."

And here was the moment she'd been dreading all day. The moment of truth. "I don't really know how to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it, and hope for the best....... Last night your father and I got into an argument......... and I asked him to leave for a while."

Nathan didn't move, "You what?"

"I asked him to-."

"No, I heard that...why?"

"Because I think he's a bad influence on you, and me as well right now. We both need to separate ourselves from him for awhile, it's for the best."

He let out a sardonic laugh, brining his hands together to crack his knuckles, "We're never gonna be the Cleaver's mom, Dad's never gonna change."

"You have to give people a chance Nathan," she justified.

"Oh and that's what your doing by kicking him out of the house?"

"It's more complicated than that," she tried to explain to him, watching as he moved farther and farther up the stairs.

"Yeah whatever, I don't wanna hear it anymore," he waved his arm in disgust, turning around, and with a indignant face stomped up the rest of the stairs. 

"Nathan...._Nathan_," Deb called after him. However, her efforts were futile, because a second later she heard his door slam behind him, and knew there would be no point in arguing with him anymore.

********************************************

Monday morning Haley stood amidst the sea of cafeteria tables in the school's outdoor courtyard, and spotted her best friend sitting alone at their regular table, reading as per usual.

She made her way over to him, glancing over the heads of numerous Tree Hill students hoping she'd catch a glimpse at one brunette in particular, but came up empty. Slightly disappointed, she plopped down next to Lucas, leaning over to see what book had become the present flavor of the week.

"How's Steinbeck treatin' ya," she asked, as she pulled a drink and sandwich out of her bag.

Lucas looked up confused, as Haley then tapped the front of his paperback novel. "Oh umm, well this one's not quiet up to par with his usual work, but overall it's better than life at the moment."

"So how is life treating Lucas Scott lately," she asked him, taking a drink from her bottled water.

"Ok lets see, instead of having one girl that semi-kind of likes me, as I had previously thought. I now have two girls that are seriously interested in me, and no clue about who too choose. I also have a absent mother halfway across the world, a very pissed off uncle trying to watch my every move, and a tattoo that's been hurting like a son-of-bitch for the last three days," he finished, giving her a bewildered look as he rested his head on top of the table.

"Well I can see how the whole love triangle with two attractive women could be such a burden for you," Haley replied sarcastically, reaching for her sandwich.

"This is funny for you isn't it," he looked at her directly, "I think  you enjoy seeing me suffer just a tad too much."

"Mmmm....a little yeah, and besides you know you love it. Every warm blooded male this side of the western hemisphere would die to have two chicks fighting over him," she grinned at him, until they both laughed together.

"Speaking of love life woes, how's everything going with _your_ resident druggie? Was he hiding out with you all weekend? Is that why I didn't see you around," Lucas quipped.

"He's not a druggie Luke, he just made a bad decision. It won't happen again," she answered diligently, ignoring his other questions altogether.

"How do you know he won't foul up again. He could be lying to you Hales."

"He's not ,"she answered without any uncertainty.

"And you believe him, why?"

"Because I trust him," she stated, showing Lucas the most sincere expression she could give.

Lucas shook his head back and forth. Afraid to let his best friend walk into something he was sure would eventually break her heart. "If he hurts you........"

"It'll be ok," she said, trying to sway his worries, but he didn't look convinced. He considered arguing the point with her more, but decided it would be useless. The Haley he'd known all his life was to stubborn to listen to him about this, and on top of that, she always gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, and he figured for once he could do that as well.

***************************************

The day had passed by for Nathan monstrously as usual. Except for the random comments, and a few jokes from Tim and the guys about his spaz out at the game on Friday, he was pretty sure it was just another sucky Monday. But for some reason, that didn't ease his thoughts, and his mind continued to wander, even when he'd met up with Haley at the tutoring lab after School.

"To simplify an expression containing negative exponents, you need to convert each term with the negative exponent to an expression with a positive exponent. Or if you want to multiply, you can take the numerator and the.....," Haley paused, observing for the twelfth time, that Nathan's attention was focused on the piece of lint on his book-bag, and not on her. "Nathan are you even listening to me," she asked, waving her hand in front of his face. "Hellooo Earth to Scott, are you there."

"What," he his head bolted up, a bit dazed.

"I've been talking for the last twenty minutes about complex fractions, did you get...say I don't know, any of it?"

"Yeah I heard it, I'm listening," he tried to lie, suddenly intently interested in his book.

"Riiiight, you were listening to me, and I know what it means when the referee calls a fumble," she bantered. 

"You mean a foul," he corrected her.

"Whatever, the point is, you sir are not paying attention, what's up?"

"Nothing," he mumbled, looking away.

Haley picked up on his mood quickly. "See when you say nothing like that, I don't hear nothing, I definitely hear something. What's wrong Nathan?"

"It's not important, just forget it," he told her.

"We could talk about whatever it is that's been bothering you for the past hour, or you know, we could always go back to math," she looked at him seriously this time.

"He hesitated for a moment before answering, "My mom kicked my dad out of the house."

Haley watched his face, waiting to see any kind of dramatic change. When there was none, she uttered, "I'm.......sorry?"

"That's just it, I don't know if I should be happy that my dad's not around to rag no me now, or pissed off that nobody asked me what the hell I wanted," he blew out a breath of frustration.

Haley set her pencil down then, and instinctively lifted her hand up to cup Nathan's face softly. "Would it be such a bad thing if you had some time apart from your Dad? I know how he can be to you."

Nathan's eyes that had closed from her touch shot open at her statement, and she could feel him tense up under her hand as he pulled away. 'It's so easy for you, living in your little house on the edge of town with your wholesome parents, no social obligations or worries, except for your 35 siblings. You don't know what its like to have to be number one, a hundred percent of the time, so don't talk to me about my Dad, he's the only one that looks out for me," he seethed, his eyes growing dark.

"Whoa whoa whoa, why are you getting so mad? All I'm saying is that maybe it would be a good idea if you had a chance to get way from all the pressure he puts you under," Haley tried to calm him, realizing she'd backed herself into a corner she didn't want to be in.

"And I'm saying you don't know anything about it, so lay off," he turned to look the other way. The tension in the room was thick, and for a while the awkwardness of the last few minutes just hung in the air.

"You're right," he heard her finally say.

"I am?"

"Yeah, I mean I'm only your tutor, you don't owe me anything, I don't owe you anything, its better we just leave it that way. I was the stupid one for thinking it could be anything more than that," she said in a sharp cold tone.

"Haley, you know that's not true," he said following all her movements, trying to make eye contact with her.

When she turned an icy gaze at him suddenly, he reared back. "Yes it is Nathan, because you've never decided it was going to be more than that. So you stay here and finish studying if you want, I'm going home, you know, to my little house on the wrong side of the tracks. Have a nice night _Nate_," she grabbed her bags and walked out of the room before he could say another word.

"SHIT," he cursed to himself, knowing he should do something, call after her, follow her, something. But deep down he knew this time he'd gone to far. Not only had he pushed her away, but he'd also insulted her, if only to make himself feel better in the process; and that scared him the most. Because that's exactly what his father did to him and everyone else. 

He glanced down at his watch quickly, and noticed that he was twenty minutes late to practice. He breathed in a deep breath, and let out a long sigh, as he made his way down the halls to turn the corner. There he saw the last person in the world he wanted to deal with at the moment. The one person that could actually help solve his current problem: Lucas Scott.

A/N: Feedback/ reviews are always welcome J


	3. Having Faith

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters, but if anyone's offering Chad or James, I'd be willing to take them home.....

Authors' Note: First off, I'd like to say sorry to everyone for the long update. I was out of town for the holiday, and then this week has been a large load of crazy. I'll try to update quicker after this week and next week pass. Secondly thank you to everyone again for your wonderful, beautiful reviews, I love them!!! And without further ado I present you with the next chapter. Enjoy!!

**Inside of You**

Chapter 3

Having Faith

"Canceled," Nathan read once again, staring at Whitey's sign plastered on the gym doors.

"Looks like it," Lucas responded, scratching the top of his head, in mutual confusion.

"This is insane, he can't just cancel a sport, what about games...playoffs," Nathan complained outwardly.

Lucas jiggled the door handle to make sure stating, "The gym's all locked up too, so guess there won't be practice's either." He looked around for any sign of his other teammates, but saw only empty hallways.

"Great, this is just great, how am I supposed to work on my lay-ups? Tim's defense is for shit and besides you, Wazowski, and Turner there's no one worth doing drills with," Nathan cringed, knowing it would be pure Hell trying to find either of those two to go work out at this time of day.

Meanwhile Lucas debated whether or not to ask Nathan if he would want to come practice with him on his court in the park. Because despite there ever-present tension, the truth was, practicing with his friends wasn't anything like practicing with the team, especially Nathan. They were almost equal when it came to ball, and Lucas knew the one thing that kept him above Nathan, the one thing that gave him an edge above his supposed half brother, was simply his determination.

He also knew Nathan could challenge him like none of the other guys he played with ever had. And because of that he decided maybe he'd let his other doubts subside for the moment.

"You wanna go to the park court," Lucas asked, as Nathan began to pull out his cell phone.

Nathan looked up at him with a comical glare, " To what, practice with you? I don't need charity thanks," he countered, almost immediately regretting his words at the memory of his fight with Haley. If anything Lucas was the only person that could help him figure out how to get back in her good graces.

However Lucas had practically given up at this point, shaking his head and puffing out a breath of air. He turned to walk down the hall when he heard Nathan's voice behind him.

"Lucas wait," he uttered, catching up to him, when the blonde paused. "I didn't mean that. If you still wanna go practice, I'm game."

Slowly Lucas searched his face and his eyes for sincerity, and when he found it there he let out a resigned sigh. "Alright.....but don't give me or my friends any of your crap," he warned him. Nathan nodded his head in agreement, and together they walked through the halls and out the front doors.

**************************************

Three hours, 50 jump shots, and 65 lay-ups later, Nathan and Lucas still stood on the concrete court in Tree Hill park, playing now only on sheer drive. Oddly enough none of Lucas' friends had been anywhere insight when the two of them arrived, and from the instant they began shooting hoops, a peaceful silence had come over them. In fact, except for the few harmless quips and jibes they had thrown back and forth when one of them had missed a shot or tripped during a lay-up, they had both established a level of comfort around each other. This thought was what ran through Nathan's mind as they took a five minute water break.

"Want to do some more drills," Luke's question finally breaking the quiet. He took another swig from his bottled water, and looked over to Nathan.

"Nah, my legs are beat, how about a game of Pig," he replied, squirting the remainder of his own water on his face, and wiping it off his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Ok, you wanna start," Lucas said, throwing Nathan the ball.

"Sure," Nathan spun around pelting the ball from the opposite end of the court and watching as it shwooshed through the hoop with ease, landing on the grass nearby. He couldn't help but smile at his own skills, looking up at Lucas, a slight cocky grin spread across his face.

Th blonde man looked down the court and back to the guy beside him. "Nice," he commended Nathan with a nod of his head. "But I can do better."

"You wish," Nathan yelled as Lucas skidded down the court.

"Oh it's all talent my man," Lucas jibed, facing the hoop just in front of him and instead of shooting it there, tossed it backwards across the court and into the other hoop.

And as Nathan saw Lucas' happy face, at making his shot, he couldn't help but laugh with him. When he ran to collect the ball bouncing it up and down, until he came to a good spot to shoot, and as he stood staring at the hoop he glanced over his shoulder, "So why do you figure we're getting along so well," he jested.

"Because your not acting like an ass, and I'm doing my best to be nice to you," Lucas answered honestly, waiting for his turn.

Nathan turned his head back to the hoop, and as he through the ball laughed back sardonically, "Yeah what's up with that?"

"Honestly, the sole reason I'm being nice to you Nathan is because for some reason my best friend seems to think your worthy of being treated as a human being. And I like to think she's a good judge of character," Lucas was completely serious now, the playfulness from a few minutes ago gone.

"But........," Nathan said, knowing there was more to his statement than he was letting on. The air around them becoming thicker by the moment.

"But sometimes she can be wrong."

"And sometimes she isn't," he countered, making a step closer to Lucas.

Instead of feeling provoked Lucas went over and picked up the ball from where it had last landed, his voice more clam now. "Despite what you think about me, I don't hate you, you're the one that's had it out for me ever since I joined the team."

"You came in and took my place in the line up man, how the hell would you feel if it was the other way around," Nathan barked  at him.

"Oh, so your saying all those stunts you pulled on me, have nothing to do with Dan, or the fact that you know if you don't give me shit in front of the guys, that he and everybody else will be on your back for just standing by," Lucas dropped the ball, too preoccupied with their growing argument.

Nathan despised talking about his dad, almost as much as talking about his relationship with his dad. He wanted to get out of this conversation fast. "What do you want from me? Do you want me to apologize for my father's lack of parenting, or do you just want to get it over with and  fight?"

"In your world you might actually solve things by hitting each other around, but that's not quite my style," Lucas sneered, turning away from him.

"If you wanna bitch and moan about the past be my guest, I was just trying to get along with you."

"Is that right," Lucas doubted.

"Yep," Nathan answered sharply, his eyes meeting Lucas' in cold glare.

"And you have no anterior motives, like the fact that a certain girl I know, and a certain girl you know aren't talking," Lucas walked up to Nathan. He waited for his answer and when Nathan didn't respond he knew he had it. "That's what I thought."

Nathan shook his head in frustration, "What do you want me to say, I screwed up......I'm an idiot."

Lucas considered telling him he was right, but instead offered him some advice, "Maybe you should tell her that."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, women like to hear men own up to the fact that they were or are stupid. I swear it works," he assured him.

Nathan's expression eased up, "Ok......thanks," he scratched the back of his head awkwardly and   continued to fidget nervously until Lucas came right in front of him.

"You don't deserve her," Lucas looked into his eyes, making sure Nathan knew how serious he was, and how strongly he felt about his friends' feelings.

"I know," Nathan answered softly, shifting his eyes to the ground a second later.

"Well at least we agree on something," Lucas added picking the ball up and going back to the game as if nothing had happened. Nathan reflected on the last five minutes, taking everything in before pacing down the court to join him.

******************************************

The phone had been ringing almost nonstop since eight, and Haley thought she might go crazy if she had to hear the cacophonous ring of the telephone one more time that night. She looked over and read the clock by her night stand, 10:54pm, almost three hours and he hadn't given up yet. It was after the first hour of calls that she'd finally disconnected her answering machine, the same five phrases being plead to her through the small plastic box: _Haley please pick up the phone. I need to talk to you. I know your there just pick up. I'm sorry.......please Haley pick up the phone, I really want to talk to you. Call me back ok?_

It wasn't as if his messages were all that original or even special, but the simple sound of his voice was enough to evoke more pain than she wanted to think about. From the moment Nathan had kissed her, she'd felt like it was too good to be true. Two separate people, living on two separate sides of the world in the very same town. Regardless of all their differences she had hoped that if they let go of all the stigma this town had built up for people like him, and people like her then they could actually have a chance. It all came crashing down though, the minute Nathan himself had made it all too clear that he also bought into the whole idea of - rich equals better and poor equals worse.

It didn't matter what she said or how she felt about him, because all the terrible things she worried that people thought of her or her family, he already did. So with those dismal thoughts running through her mind, Haley flopped down on her bed, unhooking her phone from the jack before she went to sleep.

**************************************

Everyday that week Nathan had tried to catch Haley at the Tutoring lab. And everyday all the other student tutors had said she was out sick. He knew of course that they were lying, because he'd caught her walking in the halls to class, or getting books at her locker. Yep, he knew her sudden bought of "sickness" had come about as a way to avoid seeing him. However today he had a plan. Nothing grand or overly romantic, but something he thought she'd appreciate.

He'd been walking to his first period class, a determined look on his face as he made his way to Haley's locker.

"What up Dawg," Time greeted him, giving him a brotherly smack on the back.

Nathan quickly glanced over at his friend, more concerned with his mission than anything else. "Hey man."

"You wanna shoot some hoops at your crib after school," the shorter man asked, as he readjusted his backpack.

"I can't," Nathan answered, almost to his destination.

"Why not," Tim whined.

"Because I'm busy alright," he declared with an irritated glare, "So go away," he continued to walk forward, not noticing when his friend stopped walking with him.

Tim watched Nathan retreat down the hall, and looked around as if in shock at his friends' behavior. "Whatever Nate, I'll see ya in class," he yelled to him before turning around and walking up the stairs.

When Nathan finally found locker 1163, he pulled out a folded piece of white paper and quickly read it over once more:

_Haley,_

_I'm an idiot. Please forgive me._

_I'll be at our place for study session at 5pm, if you'll still have me._

_Nathan_

After he finished, he folded it back up and stuck it in the opening slit, checking the hallways before he went into Math class.

***************************************

The truth was Nathan really did have other things to do than play basketball with Tim after school: and that was playing ball with Lucas at the court. He would by no means call him and Lucas friend's or even acquaintances. They were just teammates, plain and simple, and teammates practiced together practiced together right? It was easy to play with Lucas, once they both got passed all the hype. They didn't focus on upcoming games or girls or party's on the weekend, like all the other guys. When it was just them playing, Nathan realized, it was all about the sport.

They'd been so involved in their last game, that Nathan had lost track of time, making it to the Market Street Docks 20 minutes past five.

When he came around the corner and saw her sitting alone, books strewn out across the table as she concentrated on her own work, Nathan's stomach filled with butterflies. His plan had actually worked. Something he really hadn't expected to happen, and yet knew deep down that with Haley all he had to do was actually try.

She didn't look happy to see him, however, when she noticed him for the first time at the table.

"Hi," he smiled nervously, waiting for her to respond.

"Your late, lets get started," she replied with little emotion, shifting her books around to make room for his.

"Well I uh, was playing ball with Lucas and we lost track of time, I'm sorry," he said sitting down across from her.

"Seems like you have an apology for just about everything recently......," she snapped, noticing the other part of his statement. "Wait a minute, did you say you were playing basketball with Lucas?"

"Yeah kinda, Whitey canceled practice and games because of everything that _happened_," he said, knowing she knew what he meant.

"You and Lucas..........playing basketball.........together..........have I entered the Twighlight Zone?"

"Yeah pretty much," Nathan laughed, watching Haley's eyes sparkle under the Christmas lights that had been strewn all around the docks for the night. "I'm glad you came."

Haley realized they weren't joking around anymore and returned her attention to her homework. "I told you I'd be your tutor, and that's what I'm going to do."

"How long is this going to last Haley. You can't stay mad forever," Nathan teased her, pulling her hand up so that he could hold it.

"I'm not mad Nathan, I'm hurt, there's a difference," she replied, pulling her hand away.

"I never meant to hurt you, that was the last thing I ever wanted to do, and somehow I've managed to do it multiple times, in the short span of our relationship. If you haven't noticed already, I'm kind of jerk. I've always been that way. And with other people it didn't matter because they just got used to it. But you didn't, and I really ........I don't want to hurt you, but I can't promise I won't. All I'm asking is that you at least give me the chance to try to be a better man for you," Nathan finally looked away, feeling for all the world like he had put his entire soul out on the table for her.

Haley watched him intently, breathing in a deep breathe of air. I've made some easy choices in my life and I've made some hard ones, and wanting to be with you Nathan, is an easy choice. It's everything else about "us" that's difficult."

"Like what?"

"Friends, family, this entire town, and where we each stand in it," she answered weakly.

"It doesn't matter," he declared.

"You say that, but we both know it isn't true, as much as I would like it to be," she pushed stray pieces of hair behind her ear.

Nathan looked at her again, feeling at a loss for words. "I can't apologize for where I come from Haley."

"I know, and neither can I," she gave him a heavy-hearted look.

"So what are you saying, it's over," he asked quickly, fidgeting in his seat.

"No of course not," she reassured him with a small smile.

"Then what do you want," he leaned forward, to look straight into her eyes.

"Really, I just want to sit here and help you with math, and forget everyone exists. Is that ok," she asked him, looking as innocent and vulnerable as ever.

"Yeah, I think I can handle that," he replied, grabbing a book from his bag, and watching her as she spoke to him. The soft glow of the white lights, illuminating a gorgeous cream bubble  around the pair, for all eyes to see.

A/N: Feedback as always is welcome!!


	4. Searching for Simplicity

Disclaimer: Sadly I own nothing.

A/N: Nothing new for now.

Inside of You

Chapter 4 

Searching for Simplicity

Lucas had finally come to the conclusion that although the thought of two women fighting over him seemed appealing in theory, in actuality it was more stressful than it was worth. Not to say that he didn't feel very flattered, or grateful for the attention, but the act of choosing which girl he should be with was turning out to be more difficult than one would imagine. 

And because he hadn't even begun to speculate what the repercussions of his final decision would be on the third party, he had reverted to staying away until said decision was finally made.

However at the moment Brooke wasn't making the situation any easier for him. In fact she was making it harder every time he saw her. Which was why he didn't seem all that surprised to see her plop down next to him at his table during lunchtime, her trademark flirtatious grin on her face.

"Hey sexy, long time no talk," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulders with an easy grace.

"I've been around," he answered, closing the book he way reading.

"I see that. It doesn't explain though, why I see broody Lucas here before my eyes, instead of happy, fun Lucas," she said, her demure smile turning into a more serious expression.

"Oh he's here, thing is, he only comes out on special occasions," he teased her.

She laughed at his attempted joke, leaning closer to him this time. "Well let me know when he's gonna make his next appearance, because we have some unfinished business to attend too," she whispered into his ear, breathing a stream of hot air down his neck, and giving him a quick wink before getting up from her seat.

Suddenly Lucas felt very uncomfortable, and very hot. "I'll do that," he said, clearing his throat and watching her walk away into another crowd of friends. The slow tilt of her hips swaying back and forth, making him lose all of his concentration.

Lucas shook off the rather effective stupor Brooke seemed to put him in, as he scanned the rest of the lunch attendees. He caught Peyton sitting alone across the courtyard with her sketchbook in hand. He debated whether or not to go up to her. Deciding it still wasn't a good plan, considering he hadn't the faintest idea of what he would say.

"So have you talked to your mom lately," Haley spoke from behind Lucas, making him jump and completely cutting into his thoughts. He turned around to see her sitting next to him, waiting for his response.

"Where'd you come from?"

"English ran late," she answered quickly. "So have you....talked to her I mean."

"Oh, um yeah, she' staying in some villa with the other students on the trip. Their all learning how to bake an ancient Italian desert, it's cool. She's really excited. I'm happy for her," he answered, continuing to glance over at Peyton every once in a while.

Haley seemed to pick up on this action and his lack of enthusiasm for their present conversation, realizing because of her own drama, her and Lucas hadn't really discussed what was going on with him. And so being the best friend she had always tried to be, assumed what he was thinking when she caught him looking over at Peyton for the eleventh time.

"You can't avoid her forever."

He looked at her incredulous, "I'm not, I'm just ....just ya know, kind of....well..."

"Avoiding her," Haley asked again.

"Yeah pretty much," he finally relented, knowing he couldn't hide anything from her or himself apparently.

"You plan on doing something about that," she inquired further.

"Yes, when I figure out what to do I will."

"Oooh I know, how aboutcha get your butt up and go talk to her. She's just sitting there waiting for you to come over," Haley prodded him.

"I don't know what say," Lucas addled, "Am I just supposed to go up to her and be like, _hey Peyton, how's it going? Sorry I haven't gotten back to you about the whole_ _"us" thing. It's just that, um I think I might like your highly attractive best friend here, as well as you, and I need a couple more days to weigh my options_. Mmm, I don't think that would go over well," he ran his hand over his face in frustration.

"Luke I've got a nifty idea, why don't you start off with hi."

"It's not that simple," he maintained.

"Of course it is, you just have to go after what you really want," Haley argued.

Lucas pinched out a short laugh of amusement. "If you think this is such an easy decision, then by all means, tell me what to do oh wise one. Come on, hit me with your best shot."

"You want my honest opinion," Haley earnestly asked him.

"No I want you to lie to me...of course I want you to be honest," he stated.

She paused, making sure he was ready for her answer, before continuing, "Choose Peyton."

"Why?"

"Because it'll never work out with Brooke."

"Maybe that's not the point. Maybe it should just be about having fun," he replied flippantly.

Haley gave him an exasperated glance, before grabbing a few things from her bag. "If that's your prerogative

"What do you mean," Lucas asked

"Is it really your heart telling you to have fun, or your mind telling your heart that you want to have fun so you won't get hurt again?"

"Both," he looked down, feeling somewhat ashamed.

"You should probably figure out which one."

"You're so not helping me," he complained, shaking his head

"That's because you want me to tell you to make the easy choice and I'm not going to, sorry," she gave him a congenial smile.

"I know what I need, I need a man to talk to about this. Like Keith, yeah I'm gonna talk to Keith," he said aloud to himself.

"Good luck with that," Haley willed to him, hoping his uncle would be more helpful than she was.

*************************************

Deb stood behind the counter of Karen's Café, carefully measuring out her next batch of coffee. She peeked over her shoulder and saw her son sitting at one of the corner tables, the golden colored sun about to touch the horizon through the window behind him. She also noticed how Haley managed to multitask her time, serving each customer, while persistently checking that Nathan was doing alright on his homework.

It was in that moment she naively wished life could always be this wonderfully simplistic. Stealing another glance outside at the falling sunset, Deb let out a calming breath as she headed into the back of the store.

Not long after the final customer had left and the sky had become a dark shade of blue, did Haley take a seat next to Nathan. Her thoughts seemed to mirror Deb's as she sat, helping him with his homework. Ever since his apology, the past few days had been different, better. They had fallen into a more even rhythm with each other, becoming closer again, like the morning they had spent together in her room. She refocused her mind, rereading the sentence on the paper in front of her once more, correcting it for him.

"Jameson had four daughters to take care of his crops. In addition, he also had a numerous amount of stable hands, despite his lack of farm tools."

"How is that any better," Nathan questioned.

"Never begin a sentence with 'and', teachers despise it. Use 'additionally', 'In addition to', 'however,' words like that, it reads better," she said, marking a few more paragraphs before handing it back to him.

Nathan squeezed the pieces of paper in his hand crumpling them up before letting it carelessly drop on the table. "Screw it, I'm never gonna get this," he groaned, looking hopeless.

"Yes you will," Haley assured him, as she smoothed the papers out.

"And you know this how?"

"Because I'm not going anywhere until you do," she answered, looking into his eyes.

Nathan gave her the most endearing , sincere smile, something that he so rarely did, that Haley knew for once she'd said the right thing. She watched him return to his paper, and looked around the café, seeing that they were alone. She reached up lightly caressing the outline of his jaw. When he looked up at her curiously, she moved closer to him until her lips softly brushed against his in a chaste kiss.

Haley figured Nathan would take this opportunity too deepen the kiss, but when he didn't she realized how much she wished he had. Instead of going any further, she pulled away gazing at him coyly.

"What was that for," Nathan inquired of the kiss, his breathing becoming rapid with anticipation of the next one.

"I'm proud of you, of how much you're trying. I just thought you should know that," she answered with conviction, her eyes sparkling.

Now Nathan Scott had never been widely known for his ability to talk about his emotions, and this time was no different than the rest. What Haley had said, however, meant so much to him he didn't have words to thank her.

"So does this mean we can make-out every time I get a math problem right. Cuz ya know, I did get a B on that last test," he baited her, capturing her face again, and bringing her lips up to his in a smoldering kiss. Their mouths locked together as their tongues intertwined with each other. Haley ran her hands through the back of Nathan's hair, as he pulled her body closer to his. They broke apart a second later, heavy lidded eyes followed in suit with heavy breaths.

They looked up at each other once again, that same feeling of butterflies entering their stomachs. 'So what do you say," Nathan began, "You, me, some food from the café- back at my house?"

Haley giggled at his implications, thinking that although the offer seemed more than tempting, she couldn't risk it. "I've got loads of homework, and tests to study for Nathan, I can't," she gave him an apologetic smile.

"Can't what," Deb said, coming from the back of the store.

For a moment they didn't move. 

 Then both teens looked at each other, and back at her flabbergasted, knowing they couldn't very well tell her what they had actually been discussing. In quick move Haley blurted out the first thing she could think of. "Dinner, I can't come to dinner."

Deb looked to her son confused. As he confirmed Haley's statement, "Right, that's right," he nodded his head. "See I invited Haley to dinner at the house tonight, but she can't come," he gave his mother a disappointed frown.

"I've got lots of homework," Haley emphasized.

"Tons...tons of homework," Nathan added.

Deb appeared perturbed for an instant, before a light bulb went off in her head, and her eyes widened joyfully. "Well how about Haley comes to dinner tomorrow night," she eagerly beamed.

Nathan tried to interject, but was cut off, "Yes it would be perfect. Sunday's we close early, so we can all have dinner together, say 7:30," she asked, waiting for their reply.

Nathan and Haley gave each other a bewildered glance before Haley finally agreed. "Sounds great."

"Great," Deb responded with a cheery clap of her hands, before returning to the back to finish cleaning up.

"Yeah...great," Nathan mocked, running a hand through his hair. Then laying his head in the crook of Haley's shoulder, they both laughed at the situation they had just gotten themselves into.

A/N: Don't forget to review!!


	5. The Art of Being an Adult Part one

Disclaimer: Wish I owned James Lafferty, but I unfortunately I don't.  I also don't own any of the other OTH characters.

A/N: Thank you all for the feedback. Let me know if you have any suggestions about where you would like the story to go. If I'm feeling adventurous I might just be inclined to use your ideas.

Enjoy the next chapter, and wish me luck on my finals this week!

Inside of You

Chapter 5

The Art of Being an Adult

Part One

Nathan didn't have the front door open more than ten seconds when Haley looked up into his eyes fearfully and said, "Ok, I'm officially nervous."

"Why," he asked, escorting her into his house, their hands falling together as he guided her into the family room.

Haley anxiously fidgeted with the strap of her purse, wrapping it around her fingers meticulously letting it go and doing it again. "I don't know, I've just never done this before."

"What? Eat dinner," Nathan grinned at her.

"No, " she smacked him on the arm, "Have dinner with the _parents_."

"Well for one, it's not the "parents," you're having dinner with, it's my mom. And two, you already know her so relax, it'll be fine," he said, taking her coat into the other room.

She watched him leave and for the first time felt how very large his house really was. Everything around her was leather or gold or state of the art, and again Haley got the sinking feeling she was very out of place. Determined not to let her paranoid emotions get the better of her, she shrugged off her negative vibes, and scanned  the room once more, setting her eyes on an old picture of Nathan and his Dad. 

This picture seemed almost identical to the one she'd seen at the beach house. However this time Nathan looked about ten or twelve, crouching down by his father as they both posed for the camera. Nathan wore a black and silver jersey, a tight lipped smile adorning his face as he stood next to the trophy his father held.

The picture directly next to that one was of the entire family. It was a vacation photo from what appeared to be in the mountains. Both men stood on each of Deb's sides, everyone in the picture seeming genuinely happy. And not for the first time, did Haley wonder how much Lucas actually missed out on.

On the outside everything appeared to be perfect for Nathan, but the deeper inside you got, the more Haley discovered what a childhood must have been like, living under the legacy of Dan Scott and his plans for future.

So consumed by her thoughts she was, that she didn't see Nathan come up behind her, wrapping his arms around her body playfully. "Ya know, if we hurry I think we can get a little creative up in my room for a few minutes," he whispered softly into her ear.

She turned her head to slightly face him, leaning back into his embrace. "Nice try slick, but no. I don't think your mother would really appreciate finding us acting out your sexcapade fantasy's while she's trying to serve hors d'oeuvres downstairs."

"Who's talking about sex," Nathan put up an innocent visage, "There's plenty of other things we could do," he said, pulling back some of her hair to kiss her on the neck.

Fighting the overwhelming desire to let his kisses over take her emotions, Haley instead turned around, "Nathan, don't."

He stopped, looking up at her, "Oh come on, you know you think about _it_."

"Sometimes.... but I try not to when there are any kind of parents within a five feet radius," she moved slightly forward, easing away from her own tempting thoughts. "Now tell me where you guys are in this picture." 

Nathan rolled his eyes, amused at how smoothly she managed to change subjects on him. He figured she was right though, and getting into it about their physical relationship when they were about to have dinner with his Mom wasn't the best idea.

 "We went to Aspen a couple years ago for Christmas with my mom's family. It was awesome, there was so much to do. Snow-boarding, skiing, snowmobile riding, I didn't want to ever comeback. But we ended up leaving three days early because my Dad wanted me to get in some practice time before the game with Shelbyville," he paused, his eyes growing dark.  "He was the only one of us that didn't have fun while we were there, kept bitching about the fact that the hotel didn't have decent ESPN reception."

Haley saw how the resentment and hurt of this and many memories, she was sure, had affected Nathan in his life. She was uncertain of how to respond to him, what to say that would make everything better, and knowing that it wasn't her that needed to amend his heart. 

"You know it's weird with him not around," he finally uttered. "I got so use to him raggin' on me all the time that I just assumed it would always be that way."

"Has your Mom talked to him yet about what's she going to do?"

"I didn't ask," Nathan answered uneasily.

"Because you're afraid of what the answer's going to be," she questioned, looking at him affectionately.

Before he could say anything, Deb called aloud from the other room, "Ok kids, dinner's ready." Nathan went first and Haley trailed behind him into the dining room, figuring if he wanted to answer her, eventually he would.

*****************************************

It was a quiet night at Keith's auto shop. Of the two occupants present, one was concentrating on his trig homework, while the other sat with his feet propped up, listening to the Patriots vs. the Steelers game on his 1987 F.M. radio.

Lucas heard Keith mumble some indiscreet curses against the Patriots coach, as he finally finished his last problem. Joyfully he slapped his book shut, shoving the rest of his school supplies into his backpack.

"What time is it," he asked Keith, coming over nearby him.

"Quarter till nine, you thinkin' about heading out," Keith asked his nephew, while he kept his attention on the game.

"If you want I can stay...it just looks pretty desolate."

"No, it's ok, I'll stay and close up, meet you back home in an hour."

Lucas nodded, grabbing his things and moving towards the side door. He was almost outside when he turned around, a sudden thought popping into his head from a few days ago.

"Hey Keith," Luke called to him.

"Yeah," the older man raised his head up to look at him.

"Can I ask you something," he came forward, a little tentative.

Keith turned down the radio's volume, concern written on his face, "Sure Luke, what's up?"

Lucas came to the edge of the counter, dropping his bag on the floor beside him, before he began. "Well there's this guy I know right. He's the laid back, easy going type, doesn't like to start trouble," Keith nodded in acknowledgment 

" The thing is, there are these two girls that sort of like him. The first girl, well, she's beautiful and smart and has this great talent for art. She doesn't know it but he understands her, knows what she's feeling when she pours her heart into her drawings, and he wants to share that with her. But then there's this other girl, and she's fun and exciting and so different from what he thought she was that all he wants to do is figure out how special of a person she really is. Because even though she doesn't show it to the rest of the world, he knows it's inside of her," Lucas finished, his blue eyes intense with emotion.

Keith took in a breath of air and puffed it out slowly. He gathered his thoughts carefully before speaking. "It's a hard situation, no matter how you look at it someone is going to get hurt. And I suppose there are two things this boy has to ask him self. One: is he prepared to make that decision," Keith paused.

"And two?'

"Two: is he ready to admit that somewhere in his heart and mind he's probably already made that decision."

Lucas was still for a moment, now realizing what he needed to do. He nodded at his uncle, before turning to leave again.

"Love's a funny thing Luke. It always seems to bite you in the ass when you least expect it," Keith said, giving him a quick wink as he went back to listening to the game.

*****************************************

To Haley's surprise, dinner had been completely....well...normal. Not that she expected a circus to come parading in while they were eating salad, but she had anticipated there to be some kind of impending doom just lurking around the corner. Even her own family dinners weren't this relaxing. She looked over at Nathan, watching him laugh about a childhood story Deb was telling. And for a spilt second Haley hoped some of his happiness tonight was because of her.

"So he gets up to the very top level of the shelf, when I come in and see him jump off, arms wide open as he throws the basket ball in the air," Deb laughed, putting her hand to her heart. "I think I almost had a heart attack watching him fall like that."

Nathan laughed with his mother at her enthusiasm. "It wasn't my fault. I thought I _could_ fly, that's what it looked like they were doing on t.v anyway."

Haley turned back and forth between them, amused. "So what happened?"

"I fell on the edge of the coffee table and ripped my elbow open, had to get ten stitches," he preened, lifting his shirt sleeve up to show her the scar.

She ran her fingers over it gently, and smiled at him. "So you thought Basketball players were flying, that's classic."

As the two women giggled at his expense, he shrugged his shoulders. "I was five, how was I supposed to know when they slam dunked the ball they were really just jumping?"

"I don't know, maybe because they were human," teased Haley.

"Right, and I bet you knew Elmo was just puppet," he countered.

"Actually I never watched Sesame Street," she reciprocated.

He laughed, shaking his head, "Whatever, you know what I mean."

Haley glanced over at Deb, noticing how she was enjoying watching them banter once again. She was about to make another comment when they all heard a figure come in from the other room. 

"Well isn't this quaint."

"Dad," Nathan muttered, looking up into the odious eyes of his own father.

A/N: Like cliffhangers? Well there ya go. Remember reviews make the writer smile!!!! Until next my pretties…….


	6. The Art of Being an Adult Part two

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.

Inside of You

Chapter 6

The Art of Being an Adult

(Part 2)

It was a rare thing for Peyton Sawyer to feel proud of herself. However in this particular moment she truly did. She'd made a lot of changes in her life over the past couple of months, and the differences she felt in herself were alarming. To put a specific word to this newfound feeling she'd developed was difficult, something akin to independence she finally decided. For as much as she complained about the idiocies of conformity, she knew that for the better part of her life she, Peyton, had been anything but independent.

Of course she would like to have blamed Nathan and his group of minions for the reason she fell into the co-dependence of popularity Hell. However, the truth was, if she'd wanted to be different all she had to do was walk away. It wasn't until Lucas' intrusion into Nathan's world that she finally felt strong enough do anything about her own situation.

 And then there was Lucas Scott. Why was he such an anomaly in her life? For years, she'd silently wished that there was just one other person in Tree Hill that had even a semblance of what it was like to have passion about something other than the weekly kegger. Here he was, and she was scared to death of what he meant, of he could be.

Dropping off her latest sketches for her comic at Thud magazine, Peyton noticed the object of her thoughts coming out of the auto shop across the street.

"Lucas," she called to him, a bit more reserved than usual.

He stopped mid-step, and turned to look at her, an unidentifiable expression on his face. "Peyton, hey."

She didn't know where to begin, what to say to show him how she felt. _Jump right in to the hornets nest_, she thought. "So I know we haven't talked since that night....things were sort of ...awkward."

He nodded," Yeah, I'm sorry about that."

"Sorry about what," she inquired curiously.

"About the whole Brooke thing," he muttered.

Peyton met his eyes, searching his face, "Did anything happen between you two?"

"Well, no," Lucas answered shifting his body weight to the other leg, and back again.

"Then why are you sorry," she asked him quickly, almost impatiently.

"Because it could have," he responded truthfully.

"Well tell me Luke, what would have happened if I hadn't come in," she snapped out at him, the mixed feelings inside of her beginning to feel sharp and hot around her heart.

"Jesus Peyton, I don't know," he cried, his eyes growing wide.

She wanted to believe him, to know that whatever might have happened with him and Brooke would have been innocent, because they shared something more, something special. But she wasn't sure anymore. "Just tell me what the Hell is going on then?"

Lucas looked at her sadly, as if this was painful for him as well. "I won't lie to you. I have feelings for her."

"Like you do for me," her lips slightly quivered.

Lucas ran a hand through his hair and down his face, his chest suddenly feeling tight, making it hard to breath. "Everything's messed up....and I just......I don't want to hurt you."

She waited for him to continue, to say something, maybe kiss her. When it didn't come, Peyton protected herself in the only way she knew how. Her expression becoming hard, and cold she looked into his eyes. 'Too late," she said, turning around and walking away.

************************************

Dan Scott stood menacingly over the small group at the dinner table in front of him. "Well isn't this quaint, " his voice echoed through the room.

Nathan noticed him first, the entire world refocusing again on this one man. "Dad."

"Hello son", Dan nodded, turning to his wife disdainfully, "Debra."

"What are you doing her Dan," the older woman didn't move, her demeanor calm as she looked up at her husband.

Dan moved closer to the table, placing his hands on the back of a chair, leisurely. "I stopped by for more of my things, but when I noticed your little dinner party here I got sidetracked. What's the occasion?"

"Mom invited Haley to have dinner with us, " Nathan interjected, trying as hard as he could to break the ice.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Scott," Haley leaned out of her seat, to shake his hand. 

He gave it a quick glance, "Uh huh, I see,"  and without moving returned his attention back to his wife.  "Well it's really only polite that I stay then, I am a part of the family after all.

Nathan looked back and forth between his parents anxiously. His mother to disturbed to know what to do next. Dan meanwhile, pulled out the chair he was leaning on, and sat down, resting his arms on the surface in front of him He looked over all the food on the table skeptically, before speaking, "Fettuccini Alfredo, good choice not my personal favorite. This is a nice set up you have here however. Tell me Deb, why is it that it takes a stranger coming to the house to get you to cook a real meal?"

"You don't want to hear the answer to that right now," Deb bit out.

"Because honestly," Dan continued without a beat, "anything would taste better after all of the fast food I've had to consume for the past two weeks."

Nathan watched his mother's face contort with building anger. In a quick move to defect the attention away from his father's remarks, he cut into the conversation. "Have you talked to Whitey, Dad?"

Dan visibly shifted gears, turning to his son with a sigh, "Not yet, I heard about him _trying_ to cancel the rest of the season. It's absurd, and he'll be getting a very angry visit from me, whenever he decides to finally show his face."

"Maybe he just needed a break," Nathan offered lamely.

"No, he's just ashamed that his actions finally came back to haunt him. This has been a long time coming for him, and now he can't handle it like a real man. He's a joke Nate. But that doesn't need to affect you. Have you been working on your conditioning since the game like I said?"

"Uhh... yeah...some," the younger man spoke quietly, a hint of defiance in his voice.

"Some?  What is that Nathan? What have I been telling you? You need to be training everyday. You're already weak when it comes to offense, and without practice it's only going to get worse. I'll make a call to some of the other parent's, you can do drills here after school on Monday. I want–."

"That's enough." Deb yelled aloud. Dan paused to compose himself, turning to her slowly.

"Excuse me?"

"_You_. In the Kitchen now," she ordered, pushing her seat back with a jerk, and pushing through the two-way oak door leading out of the dining room.

Dan, simply smiled in amusement at her anger, and followed her through the door, leaving behind two very unsettled teenagers.

"Why are you here," Deb immediately questioned him when he came into the kitchen.

'This is still my house, if I remember correctly," he answered smoothly, looking for the all the world as if he was just making another sale, instead of fighting with his wife.

"Our house Dan, our house. And we had an agreement. We need time apart right now," she crossed her arms over her body, her stance unwavering.

"Actually it was you that made the decision, and now that you mention it, I think it was obviously the wrong one."

"Meaning?"

"I've been gone a couple weeks, I come back and Nathan's having dinner with charity cases and slacking on his training, it's out of control," he yelled back at her for the first time, his words reverberating into the other room.

*************************************

Haley turned in her seat, watching Nathan stare down at the table. She wanted to tell him it was going to be ok, that parents were shitty, and that things always got better.  She didn't know if things would get better for him though, not with a man like Dan Scott around.

"You ever wonder why adults think going into another room completely shuts out all of their yelling," Nathan finally spoke, his eyes still fixated on his plate.

Haley reached up to touch him, but moved back. "I think they believe that if we hear them argue, it won't be as bad as if we see them argue."

"I guess so," he breathed, shutting his eyes tightly in frustration at how this whole evening was turning out.

"Nathan are you.....look at me...are you ok," Haley brushed her hand softly against the side of his face, trying to show him, that what had happened, what his father had said about him and her didn't matter.

"Can we just get out of here," he turned to her, his whole body wrought with tension.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere, where you are," he answered, stopping to grab a small bottle from the nearby cupboard, before following her out of his house.

********************************************

"Who are you," Deb questioned Dan from his words he spoke only a moment earlier. "The man I married was by no means perfect, but he had compassion, a sense of morality when it came to others. The person before me now isn't even close to having either of those."

"That's funny, the absentee mother calling the kettle back I should say," his voice becoming low, and resentful.

"I might not have always been around for the last couple of years, something I am coming to gravely regret now, but I love my son. Imperfections and all. Basketball or not. Can you say the same Dan?"

He came up in front of her, his body large and intimidating against the smaller woman. "I love Nathan, and I want him to have a successful future. One, I'm actually willing to invest time in."

"Or would it be to feed the obsession you have with your own failures," she countered, standing her ground and looking up at him with strength she had buried somewhere deep inside of herself.

"Like this marriage," he through back at her, his cruel remarks finally becoming unbearable.

"You should leave," she stepped back from him.

"Oh but we're just getting started," he mocked, folding his hands together with ease, his expression never changing from the cold glare he had perpetually plastered on his face.

"Get out, or I call the police," she warned him.

When he saw that there was no lie in her eyes, he turned to leave, saying "You can't keep from my own home forever Debra," before barreling out the door.

************************************************

Nathan had been silent the entire time they were in his car. Haley sat debating whether or not she should let him deal with his own demons quietly or if she should talk to him. With Lucas it had always been easy, when he was in a bad mood he would either come find her, go to the court to play, or go home and brood, alone. Nathan wasn't Lucas, and she didn't for a second pretend to believe that they reacted the same way when they were upset, the last few months had proven that to her absolutely.

When the car came to a halt outside of his beach house, Haley wondered for the hundredth time that night, what was going through his mind. She followed behind him, onto the beach, the cool breeze from the ocean causing a quick shiver to run up and down her body. Nathan seemed to take note of this and her, pulling his jacket off, grabbing something from his pocket, and then wrapping the rather large object around Haley's petite form. 

She smiled at his chivalrous behavior, pulling the open fabric close around her body. "Aren't you gonna be cold?"

He pulled the bottle of Captain Morgan's he'd been holding in front of him and showed it to her, "Not with this I won't," he stated, untwisting the cap and taking a drink

Haley watched in distress as Nathan walked several more yards in front of her, stopping underneath the docks. He slumped down against one of the wooden columns, resting his head back and taking another swig, shaking his head from taste of the bitter alcohol.

"What are you doing," she came right up in front of him.

"It's called drinking," he said dryly, "It's what you do when you consume liquid through your mouth."

"Alcohol's not going to make your problems go away Nathan, you know that," she kneeled down beside him.

He ignored her affections, gulping down more of the brown liquid, "Really, I beg to differ, " he pulled away from her when she tried to grab the bottle from him. 

Haley pushed herself off the ground, looking down at her companion mournfully. "If you want to sit here and drink yourself into oblivion then be my guest, but I don't have to watch," she asserted, walking towards the house.

Nathan looked out onto the dark ocean before him, the seemingly shiftless waves hitting the edge of the shore with a fierce voracity. He knew he had two choices in this scenario, sit alone drunk, or be with the one person that help him through this. 

Haley was a couple feet from the house when she heard Nathan behind her, calling her name. If it had been any other night she would have ignored him, however she'd like to think if the situation was reversed that he too would forgive her transgressions.

"Haley.........Haley wait, please don't go," he pleaded, capturing her forearm, and pulling her to him.

"Why should I stay," she asked him honestly.

"Because....I need you," he answered.

****************************************

Haley had gone into his beach house after that, coming into the living room, and sitting down while Nathan started a fire. She could tell he was being overly attentive to her, but what she wasn't sure of was why. It was supposed to be the other way around, her helping him, being there for him. She felt like a fool, because unlike many of the other people from this town she wasn't all that used to drama. Not where her and Lucas were concerned, well, until recently of course.

He sat down next to her, still quiet as before. This time Haley leaned against him on the couch, lacing her fingers with his.

"Tell me what your thinking."

"I'm thinking how life is such a joke. You think you figure it out, the way everything is supposed to be. And then it all changes, and you change with it but it never gets better, it just gets more damn confusing," Nathan uttered, staring at the bright flames of the fire.

"Sometimes it gets better," she offered.

"Like when."

"The day you came into the tutoring lab and talked to me for the first time. I never in a million years thought it would turn out that way, but I'm happy it did because I got to know the real Nathan," she saw him crack a quick grin.

"According to some people the real Nathan isn't worth all that much."

"Like who," Haley asked him.

"My Dad, my uncle, Whitey, half the people that pretend to be my friends....Lucas," he tried to turn away from her, but she stopped him, pulling him back. 

"They all care about you Nathan. Sometimes they just get too wrapped up in their own lives to notice how others feel. And sometimes you have to let the people who are important to you, know how you feel about them. They need to know you care."

"I do..... ya know, care about you," he looked at her.

"Now I do," she said, tilting her head up to kiss him, showing him without words how strongly she truly felt.

*******************************************

He'd stood in front of her door for twenty minutes, and still hadn't gotten the balls to knock. He wanted to apologize for everything that happened between them. He wanted to tell her how he really felt, and not seem like a complete jackass while doing it. Mostly he just wanted her to tell him she felt that way too, once and for all.

"It's all or nothing," he said to himself, knocking on the large wooden door in front of him.

"Lucas.....hi," she said, a shocked expression on her face when she saw who was at her front stoop.

"Hey.....ok I uh want to get this all out before you say anything, because otherwise I might just chicken out. So here it goes, I've been thinking about that night when the three of us were at my house and how everything got so weird and complicated. I've been thinking about how strange its felt between us these last few days and how I hate that.  How everything started out so new and exciting and fun, and life just seemed to mess it up as always. But mostly I've been realizing how I can't stop thinking about you. So what I'm basically trying to say is.....do you feel the same," he stood still, taking in a breath of air.

"I thought you'd never ask," Brooke said, gesturing for him to follow her into her home.

A/N: Like this new twist? Hate it? Let me know either way !


	7. When You Fall

Disclaimer: I own my love for Chad and James, but regrettably nothing else.

Inside of You

Chapter 7

When You Fall

Haley glanced at her watch and saw the minute hand reach the number, signally to her internal clock that she only had a few minutes left to get to her locker and into class before the bell rang. She tried to sway her compulsive nature for being punctual, and instead focus on the conversation she was having with Peyton, as they walked from the school parking lot.

"Did you take notes in History yesterday," Peyton asked her casually.

"Yeah, you need them," Haley offered.

"Do we have a quiz today, I can't remember," she said disinterestedly, pulling the strap of her bag tighter on her shoulder.

"No not till Friday, did you forget," Haley said, feeling that Peyton was a little more off today than usual.

"Guess so, can I still get the notes though?"

"Sure," Haley paused, "So what's with the whole zombie act anyway, I thought cheerleaders were supposed to smile.....life's a peach, right?"

Peyton laughed sardonically, the smile never quite reaching her eyes. "Peyton-Sawyer-cheerleader-extraordinaire is currently taking a leave of absence," she turned to the brunette.

"And so she leaves the broody artist in her presence," Haley joked with her.

"Something like that. So tell me, how are things with your favorite Scott," Peyton said, trying to shift the conversation away from herself.

"Or do you mean to say your favorite Scott," Haley countered, not taking the bait.

Peyton looked away at the other students gathering in large groups as they piled into school. "Me and Lucas are......different people. Much more different than I ever thought," she added as she then saw Lucas and Brooke crossing the campus towards her.

****************************

Lucas wasn't sure what to do with his hands as him and Brooke walked side by side. Logically he knew he could hold her hand, put his arm around her shoulder, maybe her waist even, but it felt awkward. Not so much because he didn't want to touch her, because he did. He really did. It was now that there was this whole new level to everything. Holding Brooke's hand at school wasn't just holding Brooke's hand, it was holding a part of her, laying a claim to her that they were together. And with that acknowledgment came consequences, namely Peyton's feelings.

He was being honest one hundred percent, completely when he'd said he didn't want to hurt her. But he couldn't let his feelings for Brooke fade away. When he was with her he saw this bright burning flame. He could either take the chance of getting burned or let that flame burn out. And for once he was going to take that risk.

So here he was walking with one of the most gorgeous girls at Tree Hill High, and feeling like a complete dope, because he couldn't figure out where to put his hands.

"Whatcha thinkin' sexy," Brooke purred, as she gave him a sideways smile.

"Um, I was thinking I could meet you after school, and we could go back to my place," he replied offhand.

"Oooh and do what, something naughty? Something fun? Both," she asked with an added amount of enthusiasm.

"Guess you'll just have to wait and see," he teased her.

Brooke let her head swing back smoothly as she laughed, her raven locks of hair billowing behind her in the wind. "Lucas Scott, you have to be one of the most........,"her thoughts trailed off when she saw that Peyton was a few yards away from them.

The couple waited for her response as she passed them, but none came. Her face stoic, her body stiff, Peyton merely veered left, and acted as if she'd just passed two nameless faceless students. 

Brooke and Luke stood still for a moment, the uncomfortable situation filling the entire area around them.

"I should talk to her," Brooke stated matter-of-factly, a nervous edge to her voice.

Lucas watched Peyton's shrinking form, as she disappeared into the far side of the school's entrance. "No, let me, I messed it up between you two. Maybe I can fix it."

Brooke smiled at him as he stared forward, wondering for all the world how she got so lucky. She brought her hand up and grabbed Lucas' side until he yelped.

"Ouch, what was that for," he whimpered, rubbing the side of his stomach.

"I was pinching you to see if this is real," she declared a mischievous grin on her face.

"If what's real," he asked her, his eyebrow shooting up.

"You, obviously. I think you're to perfect. This has to be a dream," she crossed her arms befittingly.

Lucas puffed out a laugh, beginning to walk again, " Aren't you supposed to pinch yourself to see if it's real?"

"Yeah, but it's so much more fun, doing it to you," she flirted, tilting her head up to give him a quick kiss before he went in search of Peyton.

***************************************

"Peyton," Lucas yelled to her from down the hall, while he walked past groups of lingering students.

She tried to ignore him, but it felt pointless, eventually he would find her, and they would talk. "What do you want," her voice was sharp as a razor against his ears.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," he asked, quietly.

"Fine, and you," she countered with a false cheeriness.

"Are you really, because you don't seem that way."

"No I'm not, I'm not FINE Lucas, and you know why, so lets not do this now alright," she said moving away from him, her head humming with the beginnings of a headache.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see if you were ok," he said calmly, reaching for her arm.

She jerked away from him, her expression bitter. "You didn't want to see if I was ok, you just wanted to appease your own guilt."

"Everything I said about you before was real, I still care about you Peyton, and if you're hurting I worry about it," he tried to make eye contact with her.

Peyton shook her head and looked away, and then back. "You want your little love triangle, great, have fun. But count me out ok."

"What are you talking about," he felt confused by her outburst.

"I'm talking about the fact that you basically claim your love for me and when I get cold feet, five minutes later you move on to Brooke."

"It wasn't like that, and you know it," he retaliated.

"Don't give me your bullshit, we both know she wasn't at your house that night to play Yahtzee and gossip Lucas," Peyton contended.

"I wanted to be with you from the beginning," he told her truthfully, his eyes open wide.

"That's why you hooked up with my best friend?"

Lucas felt like he might explode. There wasn't anyway to make her understand that he hadn't intended on hurting her. "I thought we were over. You made it clear you didn't feel the same way about me, that I did for you," he said flustered.

"I was scared ok. I didn't know what to do," she vented, more softly this time.

"So you pushed me away?"

"Yeah that's how I work."

"Well it's screwed up Peyton," he said, moving away from her.

"Yeah, and so is you being with Brooke," she said, hearing the boisterous ring of the bell sound from behind her, as the rest of the students left them there to part ways.

*********************************

Later that day found Haley at Karen's café, working her usual Monday shift. The costumers had been few and far between and for that she was at least grateful. For some reason she was having one of those days. The kind of day where everything seemed out of balance. She wasn't sure if it was her specifically that felt strange or everyone else, it wasn't that her day had gone badly even. More so the feeling that something within her life was changing. Pin pointing the exact object was what was driving her up a wall.

She served Mr.Copperton his regular black coffee, and returned to the front counter as Nathan walked through the door. They'd been making this a weekly ritual. On Monday he'd come by, pick her up as her shift ended and they'd either go to his house or her house to study. The tutor in her relished the fact that Nathan had a steady schedule to rely on for his studying. But the bigger part of her, the girlfriend inside her loved the fact that despite his busy life and all the people in it, he made time regardless what for, to be with only her.

It was as if the second he walked into the café the entire day had become brighter. It was in that moment Haley knew why she'd been feeling so off, so out of sorts. She hadn't realized it, hadn't let herself realize it. She was falling for him. And oh, was she falling hard.

"Hey" he said, as he came up to the counter, placing his bag on the table to the right of him.

Haley really smiled for the first time that day, "Hey yourself."

"What are you so cheery about," he asked with a grin, pulling his jacket off.

Haley wasn't quite sure how to answer his question. She couldn't very well just blurt out her thoughts to him right at this moment. "Nothing, just happy you're here," she uttered, grabbing the rag from under the counter-top so that she could wipe the surface in front of her.

"Happy to see your chauffeur is more like it. I get it now. All that matters to Haley James is the rides I provide," he quipped, flashing his pearly white teeth at her with charm.

"That's not the only reason," she tempted, as she leaned on the counter closer to him.

"Oh yeah," he beamed, his mind wandering with anticipation.

"Yeah," Haley whispered into his ear sensually, "I also like you for your...money," she breathed a hot stream of air down his neck.

Nathan's eyed fluttered shut, as the velvety skin of her cheek caressed against his face.

"And here I thought all this time that nice girls liked the mean, penniless, bastards," he whispered back, curling his tongue over the front of his teeth and running them across the smooth enamel.

Haley meant to say something back. Witty and rhetorical no doubt, but when Nathan moved his tongue over his mouth that way, she lost every last bit of concentration. Slowly he moved in to capture her lips in a kiss, when it suddenly occurred to her that doing this, being this way wasn't quite the most appropriate behavior for the work place.

"Your mother went home," Haley breathed out, before their mouths touched, her eyes open and watching him.

"Huh," he managed to get out in his hazy and lust filled induced mind. Leisurely pushing himself up off the counter.

"Your mom, she said she wasn't feeling good, so she left about a half hour ago," Haley reiterated.

"Ok....not what every guy wants to hear before they kiss their girlfriend, but I'll take what I can get," he joked, leaning in again.

Haley put her hand out to stop him," Which means, I have to stay and close up," she added as Nathan sighed, finally catching on to the whole point of the conversation.

"So no study session tonight?"

"Nope," Haley frowned.

"Can't say I'm all that sad, wasn't really looking forward to quadratic equations and word problems," he confessed.

"But you will do the homework right," she asked him expectantly, her face set in resolve mode.

"Yes Nurse Rachet I will," he replied, giving her a mock salute and grabbing his jacket to put it back on.

Haley laughed and rolled her eyes, "I'm just saying that important you keep up with the–," she began, but was cut off as Nathan's tender hands cupped each side of her face and brought her lips to his. Days of not being able to touch her, days of want and need were being poured into his kisses. Their lips falling together and coming apart again. It felt blissfully wonderful and embarrassing to be acting this way in front of the customers. But at the moment Haley didn't care. All that mattered was that despite all her blather and bluster Nathan was showing her how he felt regardless of everyone else in the room.

When he finally pulled away from her, his lips lingered just a half second longer, before he rose up grabbed his bag from the table.

"Call me when you get home alright," he asked her softly.

"Yeah," was all Haley managed to sputter out, gazing at him as he gave her a nod and then exited into the soft orange glow of the late afternoon sunset.

**********************************************

So as it would happen, just when Nathan was leaving the café, Deb was making her way from the garage into the door that led to the kitchen. She wiped the beads of sweat that had accumulated on her face from the heavy grocery bags she was carrying. Quickly she set as many as she could on the counter, and the rest by her feet. She inhaled a large breath of air, and went to the refrigerator for a glass of water checking her forehead to see if she still felt feverish.

After taking a drink from her glass she turned around to set it on the island, noticing for the first time that Dan was sitting at the opposite end of the island watching her.

"Welcome home darling," Dan said with little emotion.

"What are you doing Daniel," Deb's face wrought with worry and surprise.

"I've decided to move back in," he said nonchalantly.

"I thought we already had this discussion. You and me, you and Nathan, need to be apart for now," she apprehensively rubbed her hands together.

"Yes, and I've changed my mind. If you don't like this new development then I suggest you leave, because frankly hotel living isn't quite my style," he looked at her pointedly.

"Why won't you even listen to reason," she paced around scattered plastic bags on the floor.

"It's not about reason, it's about you trying to push me out of my own home, and I won't have it" he declared. 'This is my house, I worked for it and I earned it."

"Even though it was my money that bought it," she questioned him quickly.

He didn't seem to acknowledge her words, just continued on with his ranting. "This is my town Debra, and my home, I will not let you push me out from it. Do not make me resort to anything drastic."

And how would you do that Dan," she challenged him.

His face straightened into a serene expression. "You and I both know I have connections all over this state, and if I want to, all I have to do is say the word and I could suck you dry from all the alimony you'll be paying me every month."

"You wouldn't dare," she uttered, tears threatening to spill over.

"Not if you leave me the house," he said calmly before walking out the room to give her time to think.

**************************************************

It was nearly dark out when Nathan finally made his way through the front door of his home. He flicked on the hallway light to notice a rather large number of bags, and one or two suitcases sitting by the stairs, the distant sound of a basketball game in the background.

"Mom," he called out, unsure of what was going on.

He saw his mother come in from the other room, the red rings around her eyes were evident, making Nathan that more nervous. "What's going on?"

Deb tried to give him a reassuring smile, but failed, instead giving him a hug. "It seems your father would prefer for me to leave sweetie."

"He's here, Dad's here now, and he said he wanted you to leave," Nathan asked with disgust.

"Well actually he wants to stay here and I want him to leave, so since we can't come to an agreement I'll be the one leaving."

Nathan looked to the other room, where he knew his father was sitting in his same leather chair, a glass of scotch in his right hand, and the television remote in his left. He felt sick to his stomach.

"So you're moving out," he looked back at her fearfully.

"Yes, and Nathan I think you should come with me," she pleaded, hoping with all her power that her son would make the best choice for himself.

A/N: Another damn cliffhanger, I know it!! You probably all hate me now, but that's ok, because that's what feedback is for right? Right.


	8. The Absence of Fear

Disclaimer: Don't anything, not even the computer I type on.

Author's Note: I'M SO SORRY. Yes I'm groveling at your feet for forgiveness. I apologize for this long extended update. My muse decided to impetuously disappear, leaving me with a humongous case of writer's block. But alas, here it is. Enjoy, and don't forget to review, I'll promise to give you a cookie if you do!! Also, I borrowed the title and the song lyrics from Jewel, incase you were curious.

Inside of You

Chapter 8

The Absence of Fear

Worried. Frantic. Mad. Worried. Annoyed. Irate.  And then worried again. These seemed to be the current mood changes Haley was experiencing as Lucas drove her home from work. She didn't know whether she should be mildly concerned that Nathan's Dad was back home. Or angry because, simply put: he wasn't. Haley knew for a fact that Dan Scott had never been a very helpful man, and when she'd called the previous night he'd all but hung up on her when she first said hello. 

After discovering that Nathan wasn't anywhere to be found, nor was his cell-phone on, Haley had tried to make a few more calls to some of his closer friends, but came up empty. So she'd spent the entire night and following day in restless wonder about what could have possibly caused him to disappear off the face of the earth.

"So he hasn't called you yet," Lucas asked, his line of vision still directed toward the road in front of him.

"Not even once," Haley sighed, scratching her head and pulling a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

God, it had been a long day. One of those days that seems to never end. You want it too. You want it to be over so that a new day can begin, and all the unsavory memories of the past 24 hours can be washed away. Part of you, however, wants it to last just a little bit longer, wanting, waiting to see if anything can be salvaged. Haley highly doubted there was anything worth saving from the total and complete waste this day had become.

"I'm sorry Hales," Lucas tried to comfort her, giving her that soft side ways grin that he knew always made her smile.

And she did smile back, but it was a vacant smile, one that never quite reached her eyes. "I just can't understand it. I mean where could he be? If something had happened to him, somebody would've found out. I know this. But it doesn't explain why he won't call me back. I mean I left like five ba-jillion messages on his cell-phone and at this point I'm ready to put out a restraining order on myself for this whole stalker act thing I've got going on."

"You worry too much you know that," he offered, turning into to Haley's neighborhood.

"This coming from the boy who read all the books on our English reading list last summer because he was afraid of getting 'behind'," she shook her head, while simultaneously making air quotations with her hands.

"That's not called worrying, that's called being prepared. And besides, it's not like it did me any good, he changed the list two weeks into the semester."

"It doesn't matter, and that's not the point. All I was saying is that usually he would have called me by now. Something must have happened Luke. Nathan wouldn't just not answer his phone, that things like practically welded to his side."

"Maybe you could stop by his house tonight, check and see if things are ok there."

"I guess," she sighed shifting her attention back to the window as Lucas turned onto the road that sat perpendicular to her own street. 

She'd traveled this way home more times than she could count; knew who lived in the yellow house with blue mailbox, or the brick house with the neatly trimmed bushes, even the rare two-story home at the end of the block, a place she'd grown accustomed to over the years. What she didn't expect to see however, was Nathan's large black SUV sitting in a driveway of one those homes.

"Is-is that Nathan," she squinted, trying to get a better glimpse of the person who had just walked outside.

"Where," Lucas asked, tilting his head to look out her window.

"Over there, by the green and brown house," she pointed. "It is him, pull over."

"What, are you serious," he looked baffled.

"_Yeah_, I want some answers Luke. Here just pull over there, and let me out. I'll only be a couple minutes."

"Haley, I don't–."

"Five-ten minutes at the most . . . just hold on I'll be right back," she said jumping out of the truck and walking back toward the house.

When she stepped onto the driveway where Nathan's car was parked, he disappeared. She looked around the area trying to find him, going up to the door and then hesitating on knocking. Deciding that since she wasn't all that sure if it really was him she saw, it wouldn't be the best idea to make a fool of herself.

Nathan came out from around the back of the house, when Haley was almost to the street. 

"Haley," he asked, looking at her curiously.

She turned around slowly, giving him a bashful smile. "Hi."

"Hi," he came up to stand in front of her, his forehead wet with a sheen of perspiration. "What are you doing here," he interrogated, noticing Lucas' truck down the street.

Haley suddenly felt ashamed, and then irritated that he made her feel that way. Who was he to ask her that? "What am I DOING?! I was on my way home when I see your car parked in a driveway a block from _my _house.  I don't usually get out of cars when I see my friend's vehicle's parked at strange houses. But seeing as I called you last night and your father picked up the phone, and then you proceeded to not show up at school today or call me and tell me what the Hell is going on _NATHAN_, I decided to be adventurous and come see what was going on."

He watched her finish her rant, before he spoke, an exasperated breath leaving her body. 

"You worry way too much."

"People keep saying that to me, but ya know what, I think you're all wrong. I mean, _hello_, I am a worrier. And the whole purpose of being a worrier is to worry.  Otherwise, what's the point," she crossed her arms over her chest quickly.

Nathan looked at her, tilted his head back to stretch his neck muscles, and began to laugh. Haley just watched him for a moment in shock.

"Are you–are you laughing at me?"

"Only in a good way," he chuckled, the more angry she got, the more funny it became.

"All right then, yuck it up. But I see what it's like now. You spend the entire day cavorting in some strange man's house, while I sat around having my own private freak out session, thinking you were dead or drugged and unconscious  . . . in some strange man's house!"

"For starters this isn't some strange man's house, it my mom's friend Bonnies' house. And secondly, I didn't call you, because I left my cell in my room."

"Oh so you were cavorting with your mom's friend Bonnie then," she teased.

"Not exactly."

"Mind filling me in on what you were doing?"

Nathan paused, looking into her eyes, "I'm moving."

Haley wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly, didn't think she wanted to hear him correctly, yet she couldn't stop herself from speaking. "What? When?.......Why," her voice bumped up an octave higher.

"My mom's moving back home to Vermont for a couple months to stay with my Grandparents. That's what I was doing today, helping her get ready to leave," he finished quietly.

"I don't understand, are your parents breaking up or..."she trailed off not sure what to ask anymore.

"It's a long story, I'm not even sure I know everything that happened. She didn't say anything about divorce, but I know she's gonna be gone for awhile," he looked dejected and tiredd all of sudden. Haley wanted to kiss him, hug him, make it better. At the same time, she felt a hard pit in the middle of her stomach. 

"When were you planning on telling me this,"she began to bite her bottom lip.

"As soon as I could, which would be right now, actually," Nathan replied, shifting back and forth.

Haley felt like screaming. This was so unfair. Life was so unfair. And what tipped the scales in even more, was the fact that he didn't even seem all that upset. "You don't even realize what's gonna happen now, do you," she asked him, a sharp tone to her voice.

Nathan gave her a confused look, "I'm not really following you, wanna explain?"

Haley bit back a sob, from sadness, frustration, both, she didn't know. "Your mother moved out Nathan. I know you see that, I know you hear that, but do you really know what it means? It means you have to make a choice now where you want to be. Is it going to be your Mom or your Dad?"

He shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head. Not even wanting to begin to answer a loaded question like that. But more than anything he felt pissed off at her. She wanted to be his girlfriend, wanted to be his friend period. And yet she couldn't try to be the least bit sympathetic for him. "Why does it even matter, it's my life not yours," he barked, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

Haley looked down at the ground, staring at a single leaf blowing back and forth in the wind. "That's my point and you can't even see it. What happens to you, what you do affects me. That's what a relationship is Nathan. And if you don't get that . . . then you don't get me."

Neither of them spoke for a few moments, the reality of the situation bearing down on them heavily. Haley looked back up at Nathan trying to search for something in his eyes, something that would tell her everything was going to be ok. She didn't find any comfort, or love, just a lost boy who was as scared as her. And at that moment it broke her heart into pieces.

She turned back toward Lucas' Tow truck, slipping in the cab, and looking ahead with a cold glare. Lucas peered out the back window to see Nathan still standing in his same spot, watching him.

"Are you ok," he asked her softly, trying to look into her eyes.

"I'm fine, just go please," Haley pleaded, trying with all her might to keep the tears from falling. 

He gave one quick glance back to his half brother before he put the truck in drive and sped down the street seconds later.

*********************************

 Later that afternoon, Lucas and Brooke lay sprawled out on his couch, the soft glow of the television screen illuminating the dark room. They'd come back to his house to watch some t.v., do homework, just hang together. And like the past five times before, it had turned into another heated grope session. First starting off hurried, their hands on each other, everywhere, touching as much as they could Then it would slow, their kisses becoming more sensual, less frantic. Until they got to the point where they were almost void of all clothes, their bodies flushed and sweaty, and melded together. 

"Lets go to your room," Brooke breathed into his ear, flicking her tongue out and licking the edge of his lobe slowly.

Lucas let out a low groan, "I don't think that would be such a good idea, " he began kissing her neck and collarbone.

"Oh, and why is that," she grinned naughtily, moving then to unbutton his jeans.

He stalled her hands, looking at her soberly, "You know why."

She sat up on her knees, leaning slighting on his legs, and looking at him, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. "Are you telling me you honestly don't have any desire to go into that room over there and have wild crazy sex right now?"

Lucas gulped back a moan, and puffed out a laugh. "You don't know how badly I want to do just that. But I don't think we should."

The room became ten times more tense than it had been just moments before, and Brooke regretted bringing the whole subject up.  "Is it Peyton? Do you feel bad about hurting her or something, because if it's not that, then I don't get you Lucas. A guy like you could get tons of girls, you could get laid every night if you wanted. Hell, I'm sitting here offering myself to you and you still say no. So can I just ask, what gives?"

  


"Yeah I feel bad about Peyton, but that doesn't change what we have. And what we have--I don't want it to be just about sex," he said, sitting up right. He ran his hand up and down her bare arm slowly, caressing her silken skin. "I want it to be more than that. You're worth more than just sex to me. I care about you."

"Really?" she cracked a smile, not expecting that kind of admission from him.

 He took hold of her face looking into her eyes and kissing her deeply. "I do want to be with you, be assured of that. Just give it time, until you're ready. _I'll _wait for you," he finished, giving his last few words more emphasis.

The seriousness of his words weren't lost on her and she replied with the most honest smile she could muster, resting back down next to him on the couch, and relishing the intimacy they had.

*********************************

It was already dark by the time Nathan finally got the last of Deb's bags and suitcases into the storage shed of her friends' house. Slumping down into the wooden kitchen table chair with humph.' 

"Tired," Deb asked with a grin.

"Nah, I just need to sleep for like a year, and then I'll be ready for the Annual Move 2005," he stated, resting his arms and head down on the table.

"Thank you sweetie, for all your help. I couldn't have done this by myself," she patted his head. 

"So what time is your flight on Saturday," he asked, sitting back up.

"Four-thirty I think," she paused. "Have you made a decision yet Nate, about what you were planning on doing, because if you're coming with me then . . . "

"I know."

The room fell silent before Nathan spoke again, the question harder to get out than he had first anticipated. "Do you . . . still love dad," he looked at Deb and then back down at his hands where they rested on the tabletop.

"Part of me does, and part of me doesn't know anymore. We've just grown apart, and it feels like we still are," she looked around the room uncomfortably.

"Do you think it'll ever. . . ya know . . . be all right again, between you guys?"

 Deb got up from the table to leave the room, "We'll just have to wait and see."

*********************************

The waves crashed together in a tumultuous roar. The black water seeping onto the sand before it retreated back into the ocean, only to repeat the cycle again. The wind blew lightly through Haley's hair as she sat on the edge of the dock, staring intently out into the dark abyss. She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, and at this point she didn't care. The empty feeling that was consuming her whole body, felt sickly deafening as she pushed another stray tear from her eye.

In the far off distance she could hear the soft music of someone's radio playing. 

_Inside my skin there is this space_

_ It twists and turns_

_ It bleeds and aches_

_ Inside my heart there's an empty room_

_ It's waiting for lightning _

_It's waiting for you_

Nathan watched her from the end of the dock. He'd gone everywhere he could think of trying to find her: her house, Lucas' place, the café, the Market Street docks, and found nothing. It was only when he'd remembered the night his father crashed their dinner a couple weeks back, and he had brought her here, that he decided to try it out. Sure enough there she sat, hunched over, alone, legs dangling over the side like a lost child.

He came up behind her quietly, looking down from where he stood, "This seat taken?"

She jumped a little, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "Yeah this whole area's kind of reserved for pathetic losers like myself, but feel free to stay if you want."

He squatted down beside her, pulling the hair in her face away, and placing it behind her ear. "You're not a loser," he smiled, "Pathetic, maybe yes, but defiantly not a loser," he tried teasing her.

She let a little laugh spill out, but straightened herself quickly, "It's not funny Nathan."

He sighed, sitting down, and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Why are you out here by yourself?"

_And I am wanting _

_And I am needing you here_

_ Inside the absence of fear_

"I needed time to think, I wanted to figure out what I was gonna do if you . . . ," she couldn't say it. Couldn't say the word _left_, even thinking it made it too real. "Besides I'm the one that's supposed to be chasing after you."

"We can skip my turn next time," he hesitated before asking her candidly, " Haley do you want me to stay?"

"I want to you to be happy," she ran her fingers over the top of his hand.

_Muscle and sinew _

_Velvet and stone _

_This vessel is haunted_

_ It creaks and moans_

"I'm not sure I even know what happy means anymore. Not with the kind of family shit that's been going on for the last five months," he watched her face fall.  Her eyes darken. So he tentatively grabbed her chin, pulling it up so that she could look him in the face. "I know I'm not perfect, and I probably make your life way more complicated than you like, but . . . I don't regret any of those moments that I spent with you."

Haley turned away, tears falling rapidly now.

_My bones call to you_

_ In their separate skin _

_I make myself translucent _

_To let you in, for I am wanting  _

_And I am needing of you here_

_ Inside the absence of fear_

"Please don't say that, it just makes everything harder."

"It's the truth."

"Yeah and it scares me. Because I don't know if I could stand it if you weren't here. I want to lose myself with you Nathan," she tried to turn away again, but he stopped her, bending his head to make eye contact.

"I feel it too," he said.

_There is this hunger_

 This restlessness inside of me 

_ And it knows that you're no stranger_

_You're my gravity_

"But that doesn't change the fact that I'm still scared shitless," she uttered.

He smiled at her, intertwining their hands for what seemed like first time, noticing how they fell togEther so naturally, that an outsider would have thought they'd always been this close.

"It's not brave if you're not scared."

_My hands will adore you through all darkness aim_

_ They will lay you out in moonlight _

_And reinvent your name_

She smiled without abandon this time, his words freeing her from some of the added weight she'd been carrying around since the previous night. "How do you do that?"

"Do what," he asked, cocking his head to search her face.

"Make everything seem so easy, " she replied.

"Because with you it is. Anything seems possible when we're together," he tried to smile, and then averted his eyes to the beach below them, feeling too open and raw in front her.

It was Haley's turn this time to bring him back to her, and she did, kissing him softly on the lips. He rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. He knew he was falling in love her, knew he should tell her, let her know how he really felt. But in that moment her kiss was enough.

Slowly he pulled away, standing up and bringing her with him to walk back to his car.  As they left the silent shifting waves still echoed in the background.

A/N: Ok so I hoped you all liked this chapter. I tried out the whole having song lyrics in my fic, but I'm not quite sure how well it came out. Was it too cheesy? Or did it flow well? Let me know either way. Also if any of you ever saw the movie Bounce with Ben Affleck and Gwenyth Paltrow you might recognize that yes, I borrowed one of the lines from it. I know, I know, you're all crushed that my writing is 100% percent original. What do you care anyway–it's fan fiction for Christ sakes!! :p


	9. Author's Note Please Read

Quick Note:

I've just set up a live journal at livejournal.com. I'll be posting any and all new updates and other news there. So if you want, do come and check it out. My screen name is Finn21. I'm usually around at night as well if you just want to chat about OTH. Thanx for your time as always.

Love Finn


	10. Day In, Day Out

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, they all belong to the WB. And oh how I love the WB for finally bringing the show back.

Author's Note: Alright, here is the next chapter, sort of short I know. Sorry the update took longer than expected, but life got in the way. Stupid life. Anyways enjoy, and don't forget to review.

Inside of You

Chapter 9

Day In, Day Out

_Nathan shuffled his feet back and forth on the flat airport carpeting. His hands firmly in his pockets, he looked down at the woman in front of him._

_"I'm sorry," he muttered somewhat shyly._

_"For what," she asked, trying her best to smile for him._

_That was a good question Nathan thought. Logically he knew the answer, but it still hurt that he had to leave her, she was after all a big part of his life. One of the biggest. Letting go of someone whose meant so much to you, so casually just didn't seem right. He glanced at the other boarding passengers going into customs and let out a sigh._

_"For nothing . . .  everything, I don't know. I wish dad wasn't such a prick. I wish you didn't have to go," he vented._

_Deb pursed her lips together, and tried once again to force a genuine smile out. "It's not forever Nate, just until I get some things figured out. I want you to be here if it makes you happy. Just know that if you ever need to call me or want me to come and get you, I will, in a heartbeat."_

_"I know," he nodded._

_"And promise me that you'll take care of yourself, and your father. No matter how much he says he doesn't need anyone else's help, we know it's not true."_

_"I will," he agreed again._

_"And remember to appreciate the people who are really there for you. You and Lucas may not always see eye to eye, but he' still apart of your life."_

_Nathan gave her a reluctant nod, "Ok MOM."_

_"And no matter what your father says, don't let him make you stress yourself out about basketball. The world will not end if the Raven's don't win a game ok?"_

_"All right, all right, I got it. Be good, don't do drugs, or steal cars, or do anything that would in any damage my future beyond repair.  Anything else you'd like to impart before you leave Ghandi, because I think the other passengers are starting to board the plane," Nathan pointed behind her to the line forming a few feet away._

_Deb let out a little laugh, pulling her carry on bag over her shoulder. "Ready to get rid of me so quickly now?"_

_Nathan contemplated this for a second, bringing his hand up to scratch his chin. "Well now I won't have anyone nagging me to do the dishes. So there's a plus," he teased her. He then watched his Mom move to say something back, but he cut her off, wrapping her up in a strong hug._

_Deb squeezed him back hard, wondering how grown up her son had become in the last few months. "I love you, Nathan, " she said pulling away, trying with all her might to keep from getting teary-eyed. _

_"I love you too," he replied softly, watching as she gave him one last smile, before heading into the crowd . . . _

"Nathan, are you listening to me," Dan's voice brought Nathan out of his thoughts from earlier that day.

Looking at his father now, Nathan still wasn't sure he'd made the right decision. He'd added up all the reason's to stay, and all the ones of why he should go. He could tell himself it was because he was scared to leave the only home he'd ever known. Or because he didn't want to start over in a new school, on a new team. Or even because deep down he was worried what his father would do if they both left him. And while all those reasons were true, it wasn't why he'd stayed.

_For her, that's why._

Something had changed inside of him that night he spent with her. She'd cracked a dent into what many had called his impenetrably cold visage. Yes, when he thought of her he knew he'd made the right choice. It didn't, however, make living with his Dad any easier though.

"Are you going to answer me," Dan asked his son again, leaning against the island in the kitchen.

"What," Nathan wasn't sure what he was suppose to say, instead giving his Dad a confused look.

The older man sighed and spoke sternly, "I was saying, that I've talked with a few of the other boy's  parent's from the team from around town, and they all gave Whitey a call. So practice starts this week before the game on Friday."

"You bullied Whitey into changing his mind," Nathan asked, incredulous.

"Persuaded, Nate.  We persuaded him into changing his mind," his father affirmed.

"Yeah I bet you did," Nathan whispered to himself.

"Now Jeff Baker's coming into town next week you remember him right," Dan continued.

"Sure," he said, not really paying attention to his father's rambling.

"Well I've set you up with his daughter Sarah for Saturday night. She knows you're single, so I want you to take her around town, show her a good time. Her father knows a lot of the East coast scouts Nathan, this could be a great opportunity for us to get in a good word for you, before they visit, come end of the season," Dan grinned proudly.

Nathan on the other hand, couldn't help but stare at him with a mix of anger, irritation, and frustration, trying to figure out why his father was so thick headed. "Dad I can't go on a date with this girl, I 'm already seeing someone: Haley. You remember her?"

Dan folded his arms in front of him, "I want you to have your fun Nate, but it is important you make the right connections now. It can't wait until your senior year. If you want a good spot on a respectable University team you need to network as much as possible so you can meet the right people. It's all about advantage son. How much you need, and how much you've got. Remember that."

 Shaking his head back and forth, Nathan got up from his seat to leave the room, but turned around at the last minute. "Ya know what Dad, I'm not going on this date. I don't know this girl, I don't want to know this girl, because I already have a girlfriend. Her name's Haley, maybe you'd know that if you actually acknowledged her. And I'm sorry that me not going on this date means I'm not gonna get in good with this scout guy. I'm sorry I never meet your standards for what a son should be, but you never really fulfilled your part either," he stated, turning around and leaving before Dan could say anything else.

***********************************

"Hey Skills pass me the ball, I'm open," Lucas yelled from mid-court, his arms up high above his head, as Jake tried to block him.

"Are you crazy fool, this shot's all mine," he preened, racing past the other boys and slam dunking the ball with pure ease.

All the boys hooped and hollered when they realized they had either won or lost the game. Lucas came up to Skills and gave him a high five. "Good game man, same time tomorrow?"

"Sure Luke. That is if your lady over there says it's ok," he said, and signaled to where Brooke was sitting on the park bench waiting for him.

"I don't think it'll be a problem," Lucas chuckled, waving good bye to his other friends as he made his way over to Brooke.

"So how's my pretty boyfriend doing," she smiled, and jumped up off the bench to kiss him.

"Better, now that you're here," he answered, wrapping his arm around her waste and bringing her body up against his for another kiss.

"Mmm . . .  nice kissage, but not why I'm here," she stepped back, pulling something from her pocket.

"What's up," he asked, watching as she pulled the white folded piece of paper from her jeans' pocket, and laying said note in his hand. 

"And this is," Luke looked at the paper skeptically while he continued to hold it still, on his hand.

"Just read it," she prompted him, folding her arms in front of her.

Lucas inhaled a breath of air, slowly opened the note and began reading it, "_Brooke, would you like to go out to dinner with me on Saturday?_ Wait what is–."

"Keep reading," she pointed to the paper.

Lucas paused, gave her a stranger expression and then started again, _"And since I'm such a generous guy, you can pick anywhere you want to go, and I'll pay whatever the price. It would be my pleasure,"_ he finished, looking up at her and cocking his head at her ready for an explanation.

Instead she just smiled, and put her hand over her heart, as if she'd rehearsed this scene over in her head, "Oh, why I'd love to go out to eat with you Luke, that would be fun."

Laughing Lucas said, "Brooke tell me what's going on."

"You said you wanted to be with me right? That you cared about me. Well ok, prove it. Take me out on a real date, like real couples do."

"You coulda just asked me yourself you know. You didn't have to bring me a note," he added, waving it before her.

"You want to do this the right way," she questioned him, tilting her head to look him in the eyes.

"Yeah," he answered pulling her against him.

"If you like a girl, then you ask her out on a proper date," she said, turning all business on him.

He could tell by the look on her face, that she meant what she said. She wanted it to be different this time. Different than it had been with the other guys. And since he wanted that too, who was he to deny her what she asked for. 

"When should I pick you up" he asked, flashing her his most charming smile.

*************************************

When Haley came out of Karen's café, she instinctively stopped to look at her paycheck. A soft v familiar voice caught her attention from across the street, and she saw Peyton standing at the entrance to Thud, waving at her.

"Long time, no see stranger," Haley said coming up next to her on the sidewalk.

"Yeah, I had a lot on mind. Needed some time to . . . sort stuff out," she replied somberly.

"And now," asked Haley, walking with her.

"And now, I'm doing ok. Good, actually," she grinned, pulling her car keys from her messenger bag.

"Glad to hear. I know the whole Lucas and Brooke thing was difficult for you. Or at least I assumed it was."

As Peyton came up to her parked car on the street, she stopped, turning toward Haley. "I think the hardest part was not being able to talk about it with Brooke. We usually share everything. We couldn't do that this time, I get that," she looked away, putting her bag in the back seat.

"So what's wrong then," Haley said, knowing there that was something else bothering her.

"I never thought he'd pick her, because of everything that happened earlier with us. Guess I was kinda thrown when he did. Not that Brooke doesn't deserve him, but . . . I don't know if I'm explaining this right. It made sense in my head when I thought it."

"Hey you don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm just here for moral support. Spouting of incoherent and illogical babbling is totally what I'm here for," Haley gave her a peppy grin.

Peyton laughed and opened her car door to get in. "You want a ride?"

"That'd be great, thanks," she ran over to the passenger side and hopped in.

As Peyton pulled onto the street, and came up to stop at the first red light, she looked over at her new friend, thinking how strange the world could be sometimes. "So you got any other hot guy friends I should know about," she asked with a naughty glint in her eyes.

"Kinda just have the one. But hey, you never know what tomorrow will bring. I mean you've seen who I'm with right," she and Peyton laughed. The cool wind rushing through their hair, as they rode down the street and then turned the corner out of sight.

A/N: One more chapter to go!


	11. Outside of Me

Disclaimer: The WB, and its writer's have decided to let me have control of the show. Yes the rumors are true.  I will now be the sole owner of One Tree Hill, including James . . . and all of his delicious body parts. Oh but wait, that's just my fantasy, nevermind then. I own nothing, as usual.

And then there was one . . . 

Inside of You

Chapter 10

Outside of Me

The gym was completely full. The stands filled with students and parents alike, screaming and cheering on the Ravens in their 46 to 45 lead over the Charleston Chargers. 

Lucas jumped high in the air and caught the ball. He ran down the court quickly, toward their team's basket, ands glanced up at the clock: 30 seconds remaining. _Better get this_, he thought.

He swivered in and out of the opposing player's way, but still he couldn't get close enough. Not well enough to guarantee the shot anyway. Over his shoulder Lucas saw Nathan bust away from his opponents cleanly on the other side of the basket. Nathan was now close enough he could make the shot. Lucas knew it didn't matter at this point whether he made the basket at all. They were going too win the game. 

Glancing over at the stands, Lucas watched Haley and Dan. They were only a few feet away from each other, but their faces still held the same amount anticipation, anxiousness, and it was for Nathan

**************************************

Three Days Earlier . . . 

Aimlessly Nathan wondered into the hallway after class. He made the short distance from the end of the hall to his locker, feeling a little tired and discontent. Ever since the argument, or rather his proclamation to his father the week before, he'd been feeling less than stellar. He wasn't used to fighting with his Dad. Being angry, irritated, spiteful behind his back, yes, but not guilty.

Nathan hated fighting with his father, mostly because it felt like a no end situation. There was no right or wrong with Dan Scott, just his way of doing things. And frankly Nathan was tired of it.

All he wanted to do was see Haley, and forget about the massive headache that was brought on by even the smallest of thoughts concerning his Dad.

When he finished retrieving his books from his locker, and turned around to see a tall blonde in front of him, he was pretty sure that wasn't exactly the distraction he was looking for.

The girl in front of him gave off other vibes all together though, as she gave him a quick once over.

"So you're Nathan Scott," she purred, hooking a finger through her belt loop so that it showed off her tan midriff.

Nathan glanced down at her, confused about why this chick had suddenly decided to come lavish him with her attention. "Ye-ah," he said slowly, brow quirked to left.

"Hi. I'm Sarah Baker. My Father's friend's with–."

"My father, yeah I know," Nathan finished, realization finally dawning on him, that this was the girl his Dad had tried in vain to set him up with. Well this was just awkward.

The blonde took little notice of Nathan's growing disinterest of her presence, instead showing him her most sensual smile. "So you've heard of me?"

"Sort of," he answered, trying to slip to the side, so that she wasn't quite so close to him.

She took advantage of his momentary pause, and moved forward again. "Well then you know my father rarely comes home from the office before ten," she grinned, pressing her body against his suggestively.

"Is that right," Nathan squeaked out, feeling all of sudden rather hot and uncomfortable.

"Sure is," she breathed, her face inches from his.

It was at this unfortunate moment however that Nathan looked up, his eyes locking with Haley's from down the same hallway he had come only minutes before.  He froze, his body rigid against the metal locker. This entire situation was just about to go from bad to worse, if he didn't explain how this had happened, and now.

Quickly he tired to wriggle his way out from her embrace, Haley's stone cold eyes still watching him, then flicking downwards, as she hastily turned the down another hall.

"Where you goin' handsome," the blonde asked curiously.

"I got–I gotta go," he stated awkwardly, as she tried to move closer.

"But we're getting off to such a good start," she ran her hand down his chest.

Nathan grabbed her hand, and pulled it off, sliding away. "I can't ok, I've got a girlfriend," he finally barked, leaving her behind as he rushed down the hall toward his girl.

**********************************

Haley watched as he ran passed her, calling out her name frantically. She couldn't help it. He looked so upset, so worried and scared.  She turned toward the wall holding her side.  Her body shook. Nathan noticed her then, coming up from behind her, his voice coated with care.

"Haley . . . Haley don't be mad. It's not what you think, I swear. Please don't . . . laugh?"

Haley turned forward, her hand over her mouth as she tried to control her giggles. "Oh, but Nathan Scott you're soooooo dreamy, how will I ever manage to contain myself," she mocked, thrusting herself up against him, like the blonde cheerleader had done.

Nathan's face relaxed with relief as she continued to alugh. "Ha, Ha, Ha, that's not funny. I thought you were seriously crying over here," he pouted, feigning hurt.

Haley just let out another chuckle at his expression. "What? Over that Britney Spears wannabe pawing at you? Yeah I don't think so," Haley shook her head, "Who was she anyway?"

"The daughter of one of my Dad's friend's, I think. I don't know . . . ever since my mom left, it's like he's been trying to make sure I don't leave him too. Like setting me up with his friend's offspring is gonna keep me and him connected or something."

"You are probably one of the only things he's ever really cared about Nathan. He's afraid of losing you. And for once, I can understand where he's coming from," she grinned, tugging lightly on the bottom of his shirt.

Nathan smiled down at her, "Is that so?"

"It is," she replied, looking into his eyes, bringing her finger up to point at him. "But from now, keep the rich socialites away from your locker ok."

Nathan chuckled, nodding in agreement as a new thought occurred to him. He stopped mid motion, cocking his head to the side. "You're jealous!"

Haley gave him an incredulous stare. "Am not."

"Are so. I can tell, because you're doing that little eye squinting thing."

"What eye squinting thing?"

"It's what you do when something annoys you. You squint your eyes just a little, and push your lips together like this," he said, trying to mimic her face.

Haley looked at him comically, "I do not do that. You're making it up."

Nathan was about to counter her words when Brooke's friend Theresa came around the corner smiling and waving, "Hey Nathan," she called, as she passed him.

"Hey," he waved back politely.

Haley watched the little interaction between them, and said nothing, Nathan turned to look at her, and stuck his finger in her face. 

"Ooh see that's what I'm talking about," he verified, Haley's features slackening under his scrutiny.

"Fine I give up. You win, I'm jealous. I'm the jealousy Queen. Can we go to lunch now," she said trying to pull him forward.

Nathan noticed that she seemed a little put down by his words, which wasn't his intention at all.

He halted her, pulling her back to him. "Hey wait. I like it that you're jealous all right. Makes me feel all manly, and special. And I like the little faces you make. I like all that stuff. It's all apart of why I love you."

The world seemed to fall off its axis the second the words left Nathan's mouth. And for a moment neither of them moved, just stood staring into each other's eyes.

_Well you finally did it_, he thought, gulping back a breath of air. _You finally said it._

Haley blinked, breaking whatever trance was holding them together. "What did you.....did you tell me you loved me?"

The obvious answer would have been yes, but Nathan simply couldn't get that word to come out. He half heartedly nodded, fear in his eyes.

"I don't know what to say," Haley mumbled, chewing on her bottom lip nervously, watching Nathan's every move.

He looked to side at her words, and she knew it had been the wrong thing to say, possibly the worst, but it was too late to reconcile it now. The damage was already done.

"You don't have to say anything," he countered coldly, moving away from her.

Haley could see him building his wall up, beginning to shut her out.  She tried to grab his hand, her heart racing inside of her chest. "Nathan it's not like that, I just . . . "

"Forget I said anything," he pulled away again, turning to walk out the door a few feet from them.

"Nathan," she called, hoping to explain, but knowing that the last thing he wanted to do was listen, at least to her anyway.

"Let's get lunch some other time, ok" he muttered, eyes cool as steel as he walked out the door, leaving her behind in the silent hallway.

************************************

Lucas casually strode out of practice with a satisfied grin. It had gone well today. Better than it had in a long time in fact, which made him all kinds of happy. He'd made every shot, every single shot, and his team had won during scrimmages, yes all was right with the world.

It was Nathan's less than spectacular effort, which had Lucas a little curious though. Was he just tried today? Is he tried of the game? Lucas didn't know. And honestly he wasn't quite so sure why he all of sudden cared.

Bringing a hand to wipe the perspiration off his face, Lucas noticed Haley sitting on bench studying outside, as he came around the corner of the building.

The second she noticed his presence, she gathered up the rest of her belongings and ran to catch up with him.

"Hey best-friend, how ya doin'," she walked next to him quickly, holding her books in her arms.

"Good, and you," he asked, amused by her enthusiasm to see him.

"Oh same old same old," she rambled on. "Got an A on my English essay. Have to go to work tonight. Nathan said he loved me. A new episode of ER this week. Ya know, that kind of stuff."

Haley began to start talking again, when she looked beside her and noticed that Lucas had stopped walking. She turned to him, as he stared at her.

"What?"

"Nathan said 'I love you'? Nathan Scott? As in the son of Dan Scott: the boy who has the emotional maturity of a rock. That one?"

"Yes. Yes all three of them," she answered, trying to look confident but failing miserably. Sighing loudly she walked up to her friend, setting her books on the ground.

"I don't know what to do Luke. This is . . . I didn't expect . . . I never thought he'd be the one to say it first," she finally finished, pacing back and forth in front of him.

"Does that mean you don't feel the same way, or are you pissed because you wanted to say it first? I'm not really sure where you're going with this Haley. And honestly I'm not sure I want to know."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't want to get involved in you and Nathan's relationship. It's weird Hales," he uttered, watching her move around, anxiously.

"I'm not asking you to get involved, I just need some male advice that's all," she replied, stopping to glance at him, her face wrought with worry.

"Alright, shoot," he placed his hands in his pockets with an audible sigh.

"I think I may have made a colossal mistake," she began recounting the entire afternoon's conversation she had with Nathan. 

Lucas listened closely until she was done, scratching his head in thought as he pondered what information he impart on her.

With a grin he looked at his waiting friend. "It's easy Hales. Just think, whatever you would want him to do for you, is probably what he would want you to do for him. Men and women aren't all that different," he concluded, starting to walk again.

Haley nodded in agreement, collecting her books from the ground, and following him down the sidewalk, a new idea beginning to converge in her mind.

********************************

Of all the plans she'd ever thought of, of all the ridiculous thoughts, and schemes, she'd concocted throughout her life, never had she felt worse about any of them than this one.

Oh it seemed like a good idea at the time, sitting in the comfort of her own home, in her own bedroom, thinking about him. 

But now . . . now was different. Now she was actually standing at the side of his house at one o'clock in the morning, trying to wake him up. And feeling like, probably, the biggest dumbass in the entire world.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized it had only been a few months ago, maybe even less, when it was him standing in front of her home, trying to get her attention. God, the world had a funny way of working sometimes. Maybe this was why she and Nathan had finally come full circle.

Haley again threw another pebble at Nathan's window, hearing the 'tink' sound it made against the glass, before falling to the ground. This time however she saw the dim light of his bedroom lamp flicker on, his drapes open, as he pushed them away, before glancing down at what it was exactly that was disturbing his slumber.

With a yawn, and a mildly irritated scowl, Nathan unlocked his window and stuck his head out to look at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I want to talk to you about yesterday," she shouted from the ground, trying not wake any of the neighbors, as she raised her voice.

"What about it," he asked bluntly, looking bored.

"Can you come down here," she pleaded, twisting her hands together nervously, and suddenly not caring so much about what anyone else thought. Just wanting to get through to him.

"Umm, no. Just say whatever it is you wanna say, and then go home Haley. I'm tired."

"I probably deserve that," she answered pausing and trying to figure out how she should begin. How should she tell him what a fool she'd been.

_Tell him the truth_, she thought to herself, taking a deep breath.

 "Ok so here's the thing. I freaked out. And I'm sorry if that . . .  if I hurt you. I know that doesn't make up for anything, but I wanted you to know. Because I do love you, I just wasn't ready to say it then."

"Well, maybe you're too late," he countered, the pain evident.

"All I can do is ask for your forgiveness. And wait," she repiled, trying for a smile, and ending up with something more akin to a look of dejection as she turned to walk away. 

She got to the end of his yard, and he still hadn't said anything, hadn't asked her come back, or called for her to stop.

By the time Haley was a few houses away the knowledge that he really wasn't coming after her finally began to sink in. _He doesn't care_, she thought. _I really hurt him that badly. God I'm such stupid idiot._

Haley paused at the end of the block to take a calming breath, unsure that she could make it all the way home in one piece. A soft aching pain began to grow around her heart, and all she really felt like doing was sitting down right then and there, and letting her self cry.

She stood still though, forcing herself to be strong -as always- and tried to move forward again, a strong muscular hand grabbing hold of her shoulder.

Haley spun around quickly to see Nathan standing behind her, decked out in his pj's, bare feet on cement, as he breathed heavily.

"You didn't really think I was gonna let you leave like that, did you," he said, moving closer to her now, grinning.

Haley's eyes widened,"When you didn't say anything I just assumed . . . "

"I had to make you suffer a little, I mean come on, it's only fair," he teased, running a hand lightly over her face, and into her hair.

Haley let out a carefree giggle, and leaned into his caress, the relief and despair she'd been feeling only moments before now gone.

"Ok, I deserved that," she replied with a smile, moving into his embrace, and resting her head on his chest.

Nathan cranked his head down to observe her face.  Noticing the soft lines of her jaw, the curve of her lips, the dark curls of her eyelashes, and how it all seemed so perfect, so right. 

He couldn't quite understand how he'd gotten so lucky in finding someone like Haley, someone that loved him, despite the daily drama his life entailed. But he knew that for now, he didn't need to understand it, he just needed to be happy with it, and he was.

"Thanks," he whispered softly into her ear finally.

"For what, "she asked, looking up at him now.

"For being the one person I can depend on. Being honest with me. Being real . . . with me. All the bullshit seems worth it, if I can be with you."

Haley knew how difficult it must've been for him to say that, and she only wished she could say something back that, wished she had a better way with words. Grasping his face she pulled him down to her and kissed him. It was a soft kiss. Nothing that would be considered overly passionate or lust driven, but tender, and full of love. Nathan's finger's slid back and tangled in her hair even as he pushed her away.

"Haley . . . "

"Don't stop," she begged, trying to move closer to his lips again.

Nathan gave her a sweet smile, "I should get you home, it's late."

Haley jutted out her mouth into a pout, when he pulled away and began leading her forward. "Where are you going," she asked, confused about why he was following her.

"I don't want my girl walking out late by herself, now come on I'll walk you home," he replied, clasping their hands together, as his bare feet slapped against the pavement, while they walked.

*****************************

The Following Night . . . 

Lucas jumped high in the air and caught the ball. He ran down the court quickly, toward their team's basket, ands glanced up at the clock: 30 seconds remaining. _Better get this_, he thought.

He swivered in and out of the opposing player's way, but still he couldn't get close enough. Not well enough to guarantee the shot anyway. Over his shoulder Lucas saw Nathan bust away from his opponents cleanly on the other side of the basket. Nathan was now close enough he could make the shot. Lucas knew  it didn't matter at this point whether he made the basket at all. They were going too win the game. 

Glancing over at the stands, Lucas watched Haley and Dan. They were only a few feet away from each other, but their faces still held the same amount of anticipation and anxiousness. And it was all for Nathan

Without a second thought, Lucas bounced the ball against the ground one more time, and propelled it forward.

Across from him, Nathan caught it with ease. He then checked his defenses on either side of him, before bouncing the ball once . . . twice . . . throwing it into the air.

_Swish_. __

_Nothing but net. _

_The Crowd cheered. _

_The Ravens cheered._

Lucas cheered.

***********************

The bulk of the crowd had dissipated over the last twenty minutes. The only people lingering where a few of the players here and there, and their friends and family. 

Lucas walked toward the locker room with his bag in hand, and immediately a grin began to grow on his face. In the corner of the room he could see Dan Scott talking to Haley, shaking her hand in fact, and seeming almost cordial? For a second Lucas thought he must be hallucinating. He rubbed at his eyes, and opened them again to see the same thing.

_Well I'll be damned,_ he thought, walking away from the bleachers. As he passed Dan and Haley, he could see Nathan standing next to them, a lightness to his demeanor, something he couldn't remember ever noticing before.

Nathan nodded at Lucas in gratitude for his gesture earlier that night, and Luke simply nodded back. No words were needed. No in that moment.

When Lucas came to the door of the locker room, he paused, glancing back at all of the people that had affected his life recently. How they had affected each others lives. He watched as they mingled, intertwining with each other.

Nathan and Haley talking and holding hands. Brooke, Peyton, and Jake  joking around. Even his mother and Keith, sat off to side together chatting about the game, and laughing. It all reminded him of a book he'd came upon once, a couple of years ago by Eileen Caddy. The passage reminding him that life is not just about previous choices people make, but also the ones we make today.

_            "Dwell not on the past. Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind. Nothing really matters except what you do now in this instant of time. From this moment onwards you can be an entirely different person, filled with love and understanding, ready with an outstretched hand, uplifted and positive in every thought and deed."_

The End

A/N: So here we are at folks. We've finally come to the end. Wow I didn't think I'd make it in one piece. But I'm glad I did, and I'm glad all of you came along on the ride with me. First and foremost I want to thank each and every one of you who read this story. I hope it was worth the time you spent reading it. I know I enjoyed writing it. Well most of the time anyway. 

Secondly I want to give everyone who reviewed a big hug and kiss. You don't know how much each and every review meant to me. If it was one word, or an entire paragraph: I loved them all. It really spurred me on in the hard times, and kept me motivated, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

What's up next? Well my new fic 'Toxic', should be coming out soon, so be sure to look for that! Thanks to everyone again.

Love, Finn

A/A/N: Don't forget to review and tell me what you guys thought of the last chapter, and/or the entire story!!


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